


You Don't Mind

by MadamMerlise



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Abuse, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, F/F, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Metafiction, Other, Pacifist Route, Reader has a vagina, Reader-Insert, Sexual Assault, Spoilers, This is going to get heavy before it gets better
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-10-13
Updated: 2016-12-03
Packaged: 2018-04-26 07:03:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 31
Words: 73,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4994806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadamMerlise/pseuds/MadamMerlise
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reader is working as a bartender at New-Grillby's Bar and Grill. The story takes place after the events of Frisk's final Pacifist Route, several years after the events detailed in the game. The story follows Reader's quest to gain independence as well as discovering their own identity with the help of Sans. Their skeletal friend, however, has some secrets of his own.</p><p>---</p><p>9/17/17 Edit: Revising and rewriting old chapters to improve sentence structure, enhance the story, and better set up the finale. The finale is sitting in my hard drive and I just need to post it already!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. New-Grillby's

**Author's Note:**

> 9/17/17 Edit: My god, it's been a year since this fanfic got updated. I'm sorry I went radio silent about the project on my social media, but my main problem with continuing to write was setting up a satisfying finale to the arc set up in YDM. The other thing is that this story was started at an incredibly dark point in my life and was used to help me cope with my personal abuse, which I've talked about in other ANs and on my social media. In Spring of this year, I started going to therapy and taking medications and, while I AM thankfully doing better, it's been difficult for me to get into the headspace that I was in when I was writing YDM to help me cope.
> 
> Now that I've grown, I would like to throw myself back into this project, as well as some of the other unfished fics I have on here, and finish them. It's going to start with lots of revising and editing of existing chapters since I haven't written in a VERY long time, but it WILL culminate in me posting the finale.
> 
> Thank you so much for supporting me through this journey.

Weekends were always the busiest times at the bar and that Saturday had been no exception. Your boss, Grillby, who you and others affectionately called "Grillbz", had called all of the staff in. Unfortunately, due to some bad luck, a couple of people were unable to come in. This left you and the remaining staff frantically trying to keep up with orders without looking too haggard while doing it. Honestly, if your anxiety about messing up or not doing as well as the other bar tenders was not so bad, you might have enjoyed the bustle. On your own, without anyone that you knew around, the feeling of so much energy really kept you going. When it came to watchful eyes as you poured drinks, though, you were hard-pressed to keep your smile tacked on.

**_C-C-CLUNK_ **

It wasn't the first time you had heard that noise and it certainly would not be the last. Another day, another spilled drink. You quickly righted the tipped glass and wiped at the fluorescent liquid that had splashed across the whole bar. As you desperately tried to keep the drink from spilling on the floor and causing a sticky mess, an apologetic tentacle flailed into view. The owner of the drink was a chatty tentacle monster, a regular at the bar.

“Ohhh I’m sooo sorry!! I just! Got so _EXCITED_!!” the monster boomed. They held another tentacle to their forehead and a second to their mouth, the others continuing to wiggle and squirm with embarrassment. Patting at the nearest appendage with your free hand in a familiar way, you smiled, trying to look reassuring.

“No, it’s alri-” You stopped. The hand that was wiping at the drink was starting to feel uncomfortably warm.

You looked down before remembering that that particular drink was highly flammable. Even with that little bit of friction from the rag against the wood bar was enough to heat the liquid and cause it to smoke. Damn monster drinks. You went to bartending school, but, of course, no human classes could ever cover the many mysterious concoctions pulled from underground. Besides, you took those classes back when monsters were naught but myths and legends, not business owners and drink spillers.

Pulling your hand away with a start, that final rub against the bar caused the soaked rag to ignite. Trying to remain calm, you grabbed the fire extinguisher from under the counter and doused the rag, making patrons closest to the bar jump away with a start. The flames were quickly calmed, leaving behind the blackened rag and the smoky smell of something that was not entirely unpleasant. With a deep breath, you apologized to the nearby bar-goers about all the excitement. Reactions were mixed, with regulars noting the familiar looking tentacle monster and others moving away in hushed tones. You prayed your makeup was thick enough to hide the heat rising in your cheeks.

In an attempt to return to normalcy, you poured another drink out for the still frantic monster, on the house. Gently, you reminded them to hold onto the cup with a firm grip. They nodded meekly before grasping the glass tightly, slithering their tentacles around the drink, and shuffling away. Carefully putting the bottle containing the liquor away so as not to agitate the liquid within, you nearly dropped the bottle as you felt your hand get close to something very hot underneath the bar. With a start, you realized it was your boss, Grillbz, cowering. The flames from his head were licking the bottom of the bar frantically, but without leaving any scorch marks in their wake.

“Hah...You know I HATE that extinguisher. Wish you’d given me some warning.”

“S-Sorry, boss. Just was surprised,” you mumbled, preoccupied with stilling the alcohol in the bottle from sloshing too violently after that shock. Grillbz slowly straightened, tugging himself upright with a nearby stool, and adjusting his disheveled shirt.

"No no, it's quite alright. You handled the situation well, even if it is going to take some cleaning up," Grillbz reassured you, although you could not stop the wince as he gestured at the foamy mess on the bar. He placed a warm hand onto your shoulder, bringing your gaze back to where his face ought to be. His tone softened so that only you could hear him. "Are you alright?"

The guilt of your lapse in memory mingled with the feeling of gratefulness that came from knowing Grillby was not upset with you. However, before you could respond, you were interrupted by the squeak of a bar stool being pulled up.

“They spilled another drink, huh?" The familiar voice belonged to your boyfriend, Rory, one of the few humans in the bar besides yourself. His eyes lingered on Grillby's hand on you until your boss removed it and pointedly moved away, softly making some excuse that was lost to you as Rory continued on. As he spoke, he helped himself to a drink, reaching over the bar for some whiskey. You had tried to tell him that that was not okay the first time he did it, but decided to hold your tongue after that when he just scoffed about it. Since no one had seen it happen, t the end of the day, you would just take it out of your paycheck. "I really don’t know why you keep giving them refills if all they do is spill their shit all over the place. Can't be good for business losing merchandise like that.” Rory knocked back a shot with a cough before pouring himself a new one. "Lighting shit on fire probably doesn't help either."

You bristled at his words. Normally you would not argue with him, he would usually insist he was right anyway, but the embarrassment of the whole situation still stung at you. Wringing your hands, you did not look at him as you spoke.

“Th-They don’t mean to, and they pay for the drinks, don’t they? They always apologize. It’s no problem, really,” you softly insisted. Glancing up, you withered at the sight of Rory's raised eyebrow. He huffed out a frustrated breath as he leaned in closer to you, jabbing a finger at you.

"What's with that tone? You gotta learn to take criticism, babe. Not my fault _you_ messed up so you better not be getting angry with _me_."

The rag felt coarse in your hands, rubbing at your skin uncomfortably as you nodded in assent. Rory's eyes scanned your face, as thought waiting for you to challenge him.

You backed down.

"Y-You're right. I'm sorry." Inspecting the still-smoking rag, desperate to not lock eyes with him again, you decided to discard it in the bin underneath the bar. Fishing around for a fresh rag, you set to work sopping up the fire extinguisher's foam. “I'm so...forgetful, I guess. Monster-made drinks are still hard for me to memorize, but they're our best seller so I should be doing better.”

"What about those classes I paid for? The didn't teach you anything in those or did you just not pay attention or something?" Shame sat low in your belly as a patron who had come close for another drink wandered off to another bartender after sensing the tense atmosphere at your end.

"N-No! I mean...I mean, yes, they taught me stuff, just not monster stuff. There's still so much we don't know about them."  
  
“Yeah, monsters sure are...interesting,” Rory grunted out. You were grateful he was satisfied with what you had said, instead choosing to peer around the room over the rim of his glass.

**_SLAM_**

The sound of the bar door hitting the inside wall made Rory jump, spilling his drink all down his shirt. He stood up and cursed loudly, reaching behind the bar again for a rag. Despite that, you and the other patrons in the bar beamed in the direction of the open door and the figures standing just inside it.

“I! The Great and Popular Papyrus, have returned!” the tallest of the monsters in the group, a skeleton, announced. Dressed in a handmade royal uniform, you swore you caught his cape flutter even though there was no breeze in the bar.

“Yo, we’re here, too, skelebro,” the monster behind him said, pushing him aside. She was a tall sea creature monster, although standing about a head shorter than Papyrus. Her single good eye scanned the room as she crowed, “How is everybody?!” Some of the regulars roared in greeting, some literally growling out in delight.

“UNDYNE!!”

The monster basked in the chatter and adoration of her friends and fans. Undyne quickly ran into the middle of the room, snatched up a drink, and got to talking with a group of excited monsters. Following quickly behind was her short and shy girlfriend, Alphys, a dinosaur (or was it a lizard?) monster. No one was sure how these two had clicked, but all anyone knew was that they dearly loved each other. As Alphys approached, Undyne had quickly scooped her up to sit on her lap, giving her hip an appreciative squeeze that elicited a squeak of surprise from the smaller monster. Undyne beamed, kissing at Alphys's reddening face, before returning to her loud banter.

“Sure is a big crowd here tonight,” a familiar short skeleton said. You had not noticed when the monster had sat down beside Rory, but it was a welcome surprise for you. The same could not be said for your boyfriend. The skeleton's sudden appearance had startled him into spilling even MORE of his drink on himself. When you looked at Rory, about to ask him if he needed help, his glare deterred you. Instead, you pretended like nothing wrong had happened.

“Hi there, Sans. Having the usual?” you said, greeting your longtime friend. Before Sans had a chance to reply, Grillbz had given him a thumbs up and slipped back into the kitchen area to prepare his burger. You pulled out at least 3 bottles of ketchup for him in the meantime. If you were ever short, he always seemed to have a bottle handy in his coat as a backup.

“Thanks, buddy,” came his short reply. He turned his attention to Rory who was grumbling and wiping at his shirt. “What’s the matter, pal? You always have the _tendoncy_ to get surprised when I show up.” You giggled and Sans winked at you. Rory just looked between the two of you with an annoyed huff which quickly squashed the silly humour.

“It isn’t funny," he said lowly to you before turning back to Sans. "This shirt was $40 and it's dry-clean only. You gonna front the bill?”

Unease squirmed through you as Sans nonchalantly regarded Rory, paying no mind to his intensifying expression. On Sans's part, his face had not changed, only the pupils of his eyes moved up and down to take in your boyfriend's stance and pose. From experience, the two did not get along and you were not thrilled at the thought of having to deal with Rory's frustration at home when he was away from your friend. You braced yourself as Sans's mouth opened, no doubt prepared to dish out another pun, when he was pushed from behind.

“Whoops!”

In his hurry to mingle with the crowd, Papyrus had been rushing around the bar and slipped. His hands had flown out to keep himself upright, but, in the process, he knocked over one of the glass ketchup bottles onto the bar. A sharp crash cut through the din in the room as the bottle broke, splashing ketchup onto you, San, and Rory. Your boyfriend jumped to his feet with a groan, knocking the bar stool out behind him with a clatter. You reached under the bar to pour him some seltzer for the stains, but he snatched it out of your hands and stomped off to the bathrooms instead. Papyrus looked at him sheepishly, calling out a sincere apology as the bathroom door slammed shut.

“I don’t know what his problem is, I found it pretty _humerus_ ,” Sans quipped. With Papyrus’s sigh of disgust at this entry-level* (i.e.: HUMERUS*) pun, Sans was more than prepared to devolve into a series of subsequently amazing bone-flavoured punnery, before he noted your expression. He followed your worried line of sight to the bathrooms and then back to you. The look on your face was a little more than concerned and he could tell. “Hey, what’s wrong?” You started.

“O-oh. Yeah. Just...worried about him, y’know?” You looked down at your hands, desperate to do something to distract you from Sans’s serious expression. Even though he had no eyes and a permanent smile, after being friends for so long, you just _knew_ when he was trying to be serious. “Like he said, that shirt was a lot of money. And I know he doesn’t like to waste money.” Sans was unconvinced. You forced yourself to look from you clenched hands to smile broadly at him. “But I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

There was a pause while Sans studied you before patting your closed hand. “Yeah. Just fine.”

You smiled genuinely at him, relaxing your grip so Sans could grasp it more easily. Sans and the others had been you friends for a year or two now. It was 202X, years after the break of the barrier between the caverns and the human world. You had met them all through your job at New-Grillby's when it opened, apparently the remake of the original Underground bar, but it was not often that the mysterious skeleton brother showed affection. You opened your hand for him and gave his fingers a light squeeze of gratitude. Despite his quiet ways and goofy demeanor, he was probably your closest friend out of that particular group of monsters, with Papyrus a close second. Sans was just looking out for you. He pulled away and a piping hot burger filled the space between you.

“Here you are. Shall I put it on your ‘tab’?” Grillbz asked, readying his pen to write out a bill. Sans nodded dismissively, too wrapped up in piling ketchup on top of his hamburger.

Grillbz gave you a knowing look before slipping the receipt under the bar to you. You took it and tucked it into your apron. Sans never ate his burgers and he always asked that they be rung up to his tab, but secretly you’d been paying for every single one and gave the uneaten sandwich to one of the Royal Guard. You did not mind paying, the dogs of the Royal Guard did not mind eating for free, and if Sans knew, he never said anything.

It was in that moment after the burger arrived that Rory did also. His shirt was damp and he smelled like all the things that had been spilled on him, most strongly of the ketchup. He placed the bottle of seltzer, now almost empty, back onto the bar before turning to you with a glare.

“I’m going home,” he announced, looking only at you, but saying it loud enough for Sans and Papyrus to hear.

“N-Now? But my shift isn’t over yet,” you said in confusion. Rory dug around in his pockets for some cash and tossed it onto the bar, crumpled wads of bills and dirty coins barely missing the sticky bits of the bar.

“Yeah, well, your clumsy ‘skelebro’ totally ruined my clothes and the stains will set if I stick around. Can’t walk you home today.”

Rory’s voice was clipped and stilted, a bubbling anger that you recognized sitting below the surface of his words. The tone only served to unsettle you further. He made a quick grab for your hand making you jump. With a gruff "come 'ere", he tugged your arm sharply so he would not have to lean so far to kiss you. His other hand fisted itself tightly into your hair, holding you in place. It was over quickly and you opened your eyes to him already walking away, not even glancing back at you. You mumbled a goodbye before collecting the cash he had tossed. As usual, he was short a few dollars.

“Your boyfriend, uh, sure is the jealous type,” Sans said. "Jealous" was definitely one way to put it. "Aggressive" might have been more accurate. You tried to change the subject when you saw that he had poured some ketchup into a shot glass and was drinking it thoughtfully.

"You can't just take glasses out from behind the bar," you said with a forced frown, but he just drank from his cup, paying no mind to your half-hearted chiding.

“This is one of mine." You did not believe him, but he continued before you could protest. "There’s no reason for him to be such a _bonehead_...is there?” In that pause, he shot you another wink and you finally broke, smiling gently at him.

“C’mon, Sans, enough with that. I know how much you like _tibia_ joker-” Sans huffed out a laugh of his own at your pun. “-but you really rile him up sometimes. Now I gotta go home all by myself.”

Sans was silent for a minute before turning to look out into the room. Papyrus had returned to flitting around the table where Undyne, Alphys, and several monsters were sitting playing poker. Undyne was blushing deeply, either from the alcohol or from the embarrassment of losing. Alphys appeared to be the one winning, although it looked like she was ready to throw a round for her agitated girlfriend’s sake. Papyrus was simply cheering them on, careful not to mention the cards in each of the players’ hands, learning his lesson from the last time he ruined the game. Sans turned back to you before pushing his burger aside and hopping up from his stool at the bar.

“They’ll be alright for a little while, won’t even know that I’m gone.”

“Wuh…?” came your intelligent reply as Sans walked around the bar and handed you your coat from off the chair behind the counter. You looked at the clock and saw that it was indeed time for your shift to be over. Still confused, you slipped on your coat. “Aw, jeez, Sans, you don’t have to do this. I don’t live very far anyway. I can go by myself.”

“I know that, but…” Sans’s grin widened. “...I don’t want you to get too _bonely_.”


	2. A Long Walk, A Long Night, and the Start of a Long Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There was nothing to tell. You could handle this.

Sans stepped outside the bar ahead of you per your request. Whether he knew you were paying for his food or not, you still did not want him to see you actually doing it. Waving at Grillbz, the burger in your hand, you saw Doggo was the only Royal Guard member in the bar. Excitable and friendly, he had taken to you right away, especially upon realizing you would sometimes feed him. Trying to be quick about it, you tapped his hand to announce your presence and said hello.

“Ah!! It’s the human bartender!! You surprised me!”

"Yes, it's me, Doggo," you laughed. "How are you tonight?"

"Oh! I am doing fi-" He paused, sniffing the air, before wagging his tail frantically. He was so excited that the charred dog treat in his mouth almost popped out as he spoke. “Oh! A burger! Thank you!!” He was easily distracted so you did not mind that all his attention had been consumed by the smell of the food in your hands. You gave his head a friendly pat which rewarded you with a happy “wan! wan!” before saying goodbye and hurrying out into the cold night.

Sans was leaning against the wall, hands in his pockets and his eye sockets shut. Clearly he was feigning sleep to tease you about making him wait, even though it had only been a few minutes. He was shorter than you so you were half-tempted to slide beside him and rest an arm on his head, pretending to fall asleep there as well in retaliation. If you had not remembered Rory's mood, you would have happily taken your time heading home, but you quickly sobered. Instead, you walked past him in the direction of your apartment. Having known him long enough, you knew that he would not be far behind. Sure enough, beneath the soft sounds of the evening, you heard his quiet footfalls take their place just beside you. He often wore big, comfortable sneakers, but he never seemed to keep them tied. The night was so quiet, you could hear the laces tapping against the concrete, having slipped apart again. You turned to smile warmly at him, albeit with a small tinge of apology in your eyes.

“Thank you for doing this. Like I said, you really didn’t have to.”

Sans shrugged, his large, puffy coat crinkling with the movement. No matter the weather, he was always wearing it. The texture was like a sleeping bag, which made sense because he would often say how easy it was to fall sleep anywhere in it.

“You’re my pal, can’t just leave you to walk around by yourself. Besides, your boyfriend seems to worry a lot about you walking home by yourself. I like talkin' to ya and I might as well throw him a _bone_ by easing his mind, especially after the mess I made,” Sans replied. His pupils slid over to you, a sleepy look in them. "Wouldn't want you getting into any trouble."

The words wriggled under your skin. Did he mean "trouble" as in bumping into a creep on the street or "trouble" with Rory? Sans had begun asking prying questions whenever he could catch you alone and you did not want him to get the wrong idea. Things were going fine in your relationship, Rory just...had his temper. You shook it off and tried to respond.

“I don’t know why Rory makes such a fuss about it, honestly…” It was true that, despite the relative peace that ensued after the return of monsters from within Mt. Ebott, there were still people and monster alike with bad intentions. That was just the reality of the world. However, this was a good neighborhood and, even though it was a bar and grill, New-Grillby’s was not exactly some rough and tumble tavern. Grillbz was fairly vigilant about making sure no one got too intoxicated or rowdy at his bar either. Sans simply huffed out a laugh through his teeth.

“Yeah. Rory, uh, seems to be on edge a lot. If he’s not careful, he’s going _tibia_ gray old man before he hits 30.”

“Hey! ‘Tibia’ is MY pun!” you countered, half-joking, half-seriously-wanting-to-change-the-subject.

“What, you think you own every pun you make? I think there’s going _tibia_ problem here.”

“Oh come _ON_ now, that’s trying way too hard _tibia_ good pun!”

It was always nice when the two of you were able to talk like this. Of course you loved spending time with the rest of the gang, but you had to admit, there was something incredibly...exhausting about it. It took a lot out of you to try and keep up with Papyrus and Undyne’s antics, with Alphys trailing behind with you. However, being around Sans left you feeling calm and reinvigorated. Gentle shoves and teasing was the way the too of you communicated. There was something nice about knowing that it was something special only the two of you shared, since Sans also seemed to be on a different wavelength than his brother and their other friends. Their boisterous personalities complimented each other, but he seemed pretty content with popping in a joke here and there.

You both talked back and forth all the way up to your doorstep, thoughts of Rory being pushed out of your head until you started looking for his car. It was nowhere to be seen. Worry and guilt quickly twisted up inside of you as you replayed the whole evening in your head, finding flaws in every interaction. You hoped he was okay. Pressing an ear to the door, you heard nothing.

“I guess he isn’t home yet,” you mumbled. You were hoping he was just out running errands and not doing what you thought he was doing. Realizing Sans was watching your expression carefully, you straightened up and started digging in your purse for the keys. Shaking them free from the mess of objects in your bag, you tried to smile reassuringly at him. “Guess I’ll be having a quiet dinner by myself. That’s fine.”

Sans's hand reached out to touch your arm and your smile faltered. His grip tightened a little, nothing meant to hurt you, just to ground you, to let you know that he certainly was not buying the act you were putting on.

“I’ve got nowhere to be. I can stay with you if you w-”

“NO!” You had startled yourself with the force of this refusal, but you meant it. If Rory found you alone with Sans in the house, he would be so angry. He would be...so… You collected yourself. You could not think about any of that. Not with Sans watching you so intently. “M-Maybe another time. I think I’m just a little...tired.”

The silence was short yet unbearable, but you were still aware of Sans's hand on you before he pulled away to give you a gentle pat on the elbow.

“You _have_ been working yourself...to the _bone_ ,” he said, winking, trying to comfort you even though he was not sure you were being entirely truthful with him. Sans was no idiot, you knew this, he knew that something was going on and he knew you were keeping it from him. You were thankful that he was dropping it though. Glancing around, you saw that the streets were empty and quiet. No gossiping neighbours who would get the wrong idea. With that safely at the back of your mind, you leaned down slightly to pull your friend into a tight hug.

“Thanks for walking me.” Turning towards the door, you unlocked it and let yourself in. “I owe you one.” You both waved at each other before you shut the door.

Sans stood outside, hand still raised in farewell, before stuffing it into his jacket pocket. A bad feeling was tugging at his chest, making his pupils dim with worry and frustration. You were not telling him what was going on, and here was definitely something going on, but he could not do anything about it just yet. His grin was sad as he shuffled down the street, deciding against returning to the bar and instead heading back to his and Papyrus’s shared home.

\-----

_**Ker-SLAM** _

You sat bolt upright in bed, startled awake by the sound of the front door hitting the wall. Your heart was pounding as you heard the familiar voice of someone cursing and fumbling with the doorknob. Pulling on your robe, you stepped out into the living room to see that your previous fears were not for nothing.

Rory was absolutely plastered. The microwave clock read 3:23am. He must have gone to another bar and gotten drunk. You had no idea how he was able to drive home in the state that he was in, but you were glad to see that, despite how hammered he was, he was all in one piece. Whenever something upset him, it seemed easier for him to confide in the bottom of a bottle than in you. It was with a tentative step forward that you got closer to your inebriated boyfriend.

“Honey? Is everything alright?” You had reached out to him, but shrank back when you saw him glare at you. Rory rounded on you and practically stomped as he made his way towards you. It took everything in you to not shrink back. You knew by now that if he saw that you were afraid of him, that would just enrage him more.

With a sudden force, Rory grabbed your outstretched hand and tugged it up so it was between the two of you at eye level. You winced.

“I don’t want to see any of those damned monsters touch you again! This-!” He waved your hand forcefully in your face. “This all belongs to me! You’re _my_ girlfriend, not that fucking flame monster's, and certainly not that piece of shit skeleton’s! Is that why your boss is so sweet on you? You getting friendly with him and earning those tips?!” He jerked you forward so your body was pressed to his. The smell of alcohol was so intense, you could not help, but turn away.

"N-No! I-I-I would never-"

“Hey! You look at me when I talk to you!” A rough hand under your chin turned you back so you were staring him in the eyes.

“I-I’m sorry…!” you mumbled weakly. This only served to fan the flames of his rage further.

“You’re damn right you’re sorry! Look at me!” He pushed you away, nearly sending you to the floor, but gesturing at himself. “I’m a fucking mess here all because of YOU! You must think I’m fucking hideous to try and hop into bed with a MONSTER!!”

“It isn't like that-!”

"Who took you home, huh? You scamper home with any piece of shit who gives you the time of day or what?"

"S-Sans-" You were cut off by the pressure of Rory’s mouth against yours. His hands were scrabbling all over your body, hungry and commanding, taking what he wanted with zero intention of bringing you any sort of pleasure. Fingernails scratched at your arms, tugging them so that you would hold him. He pulled away with a snarl on his lips.

“Don’t you ever say that damn skeleton’s name again. Bet you’d love to have him touching more than just your hand, huh? Bet you’d love to feel his disgusting bony fingers all over you, right?” You could only whimper and shake your head as Rory punctuated his words with the rough press of his fingertips on your chest. He took your hand and dragged you over to the bedroom.

“Damn right you better not. You and I are together. Every inch of you belongs to me. Now…” He tossed you over to the bed, palming himself through his jeans. “Show me just how sorry you are.”

\----

You awoke in a cold sweat. Sleeping naked was nice in theory, but every inch of you felt sweaty and disgusting.

Flinging the blankets off of you, you stretched and reached out for your alarm clock. **10:02am**. Setting it back down, you saw that there was a piece of paper sitting upright on the side table with your name written on it. You read it as you gathered up the stained bedsheets.

_Hey babe, heading out to work. Turned off your alarm as an apology. I’ll see you when I get home. I’ve got a surprise for you._

You tried to smile. You tried to believe he was sorry. _Rory is not all bad_ , you thought to yourself, piling your laundry into the washing machine, brain set on auto-pilot. _Rory takes care of me..._ Picking up Rory's shirt from the night before, your mind wandered back to last night. After a few minutes of drunken sex, thankfully ending prematurely because of Rory, he simply puked on his already stained clothes and cried. He was convinced he was terrible because he had seen you and Sans holding hands while he was not there at the bar. You tried to tell him he was wrong, but he continued to whimper and whine until he finally was convinced that you indeed loved him and that Sans was not anybody he needed to worry about.

This was not the first time he became incredibly jealous of one of your monster friends. He was convinced you and Papyrus were sleeping together and absolutely sold on his idea that you and Undyne and Alphys were having some sort of "cross-species lesbian threesome" when you hung out with them. But more than anything, he was anxious about your relationship with Sans. He knew how close you two were and it bothered him to no end. Once again, like all the other times, you simply tried to reassure him and pet his hair until he finally drifted off to sleep in your arms.

You finished up some chores around the house, washing dishes, dusting the bookshelf, and trying to clean up the scuff mark the doorknob had made on the wall, before settling at the couch with your laptop. The whole time you had ignored how sore your body was, but the warmth of the laptop soothed the bruises on your thighs. You could not relax for too long though. It was your off day, but it was not like you did not have work to do. You had a History paper to write and you really needed to bring your grade up after last week when you forgot to cite your sources, thus making your PowerPoint presentation absolutely invalid.

Sighing, you pulled up a Word document and set to typing. It was going to be a long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kind comments! Please go to my fanfic Tumblr. Sometimes I post little hints and snippets of things, but I also take fic requests!
> 
> http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/  
> \-----  
> Edit 9/20/17: Some more revisions and additions just to flesh things out, fixed mistakes here and there. Please consider rereading things once I get further into my revisions since certain things might get tweaked and changed slightly. I haven't really mentioned these changes on my social media because I know this will take some time to work through it all. I'll probably make an official post announcing it once I've revised around the first 5 chapters. If you're reading this now, congrats! You're early to the party.
> 
> Also! Here are some updated links to where you can contact me:  
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/GhostieNaps) // [Personal Tumblr](http://ghostnappalie.tumblr.com/) // [Writing Tumblr](http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/) // [Art Tumblr](https://ghostnappaliesartblog.tumblr.com/)


	3. A Long Day and How We Got Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quick skip backwards and then a hop back to the present.

**Two Years Earlier**

The “Help Wanted” sign on the outside of the bar was far more intimidating to you than it ought to have been. It was brand new, just like the building you found yourself in front of, and you had read the listing online beforehand. Apparently it was the grand reopening of a place that had existing in the Underground under the same management, but they were hoping to expand in size so they needed more people. That was where you came in. Well, hopefully, at least.

You gulped and looked over at Rory who had an arm wrapped around your middle. He gave you a thumbs up and a cheerful smile. He was being ever the supportive boyfriend, but your nerves were getting the best of you despite his efforts. Instead of looking at his eager eyes, you found yourself staring at the ground. You were not afraid or anything, there was just a particularly interesting blade of grass poking through a crack in the sidewalk. Rory gave you a nudge.

“C’mon, babe. You said you wanted to find a job on your own and this place is perfect! You’ve got your bartending license AND this place is just a couple blocks away, so you don’t gotta worry about driving here.”

You were silent.

What an amazing blade of grass.

Rory sighed before tugging you towards the entrance of the bar and walking you both inside. When you felt the comforting warmth of his arm leave you, you looked up in panic only to become immediately fascinated with the bar’s interior.

It was bright and cheerful, booths pressed to the wall and tables sprinkled around the room. In the corner was an antique jukebox. You doubt it worked, but even still, you heard music filling the space. Looking behind the bar, you saw a wall covered in bottles, from floor to ceiling, and you felt yourself fill with excitement at some of the labels.

“Rory, look! They sell drinks from the Underground here!” You bounded over to the bar only to leap back with a yelp as a bright flame burst out from the kitchen door. Standing in front of you was a man on fire.

Your first instinct was to panic, but taking a second to realize that clothes and a pair of glasses were sitting atop the flames without so much as getting charred, you figured out immediately what was going on. Rory was quick to go beside you and put a protective hand on your shoulder. You looked at him and saw that he was glaring at the man.

“I didn’t know monsters were allowed to own businesses,” Rory said, sounding more like an indignant demand to know why the man behind the counter thought he belonged there. You elbowed Rory and shushed him. The man cleared his throat and straightened his tie.

“I had the money for it, human, and, in this world, money seems to get anyone whatever they like,” came his biting reply. The monster turned to you, seeming to recognize that you were the more polite of the two of you. “The name is Grillbz. This is my bar, New-Grillby’s. Our king is awful at naming things, but insisted he get to name all monster-owned establishments in this town. No idea why. What can I help you with?”

Shrugging Rory’s tight grip off, you pulled a folder out from the folds of your purse and handed it to him.

“I saw the listing online and would like to apply to be a bartender here.”

Grillbz opened up the folder to read through your resume within. There were several food service jobs, as a waitress and a busser, before you got your bartending license. Before that, you were even the secretary for a legal aid (Rory’s aunt, but no one needed to know that). For volunteer work, you found joy in fostering strays found around the community, but with Rory’s allergy to pet dander, you had to stop when you started seeing him. Grillbz hummed before shutting the folder and tucking it under his arm.

“Well! You’ve got quite a lot of experience in here,” he complimented, patting the folder.”However, do you mind working with monsters? While this is an all-inclusive bar, most of the folk who come round are regular customers from before the barrier was broken, i.e.: monsters.”

“I honestly don’t mind, sir! The war was so long ago, I can’t imagine how anyone can have any sort of resentment towards monsters now,” you chuckled. Beside you, Rory was crackling with an angry energy that put Grillbz own fire to shame. Neither of you noticed though, as Grillbz took your hand with a shake and gave you the job.

After Grillbz had let you know your schedule and gave you the details of your uniform (all black and no dangling jewelry), you skipped out onto the sidewalk, Rory shuffling behind. Hardly able to contain yourself, you spun around and pulled him into a hug.

“Oh, thank you for pushing me to apply there! It really means so much to me that you believe in me.” You let him go and were chattering away. “Did you SEE the antiques in there?? And the drinks! I’m going to learn how to make so many wonderful things! Oh my-”

“Hey.” You froze at his rough hands on your shoulders. He spun you around to face him. “You be careful, alright? The war was 'years ago', but not every monster you meet is going to be a nice one. There are still people who remember what it did to their families. I’m telling you, you should’ve taken the job my dad offered you, nice and secure.” You prickled.

“I’m not a CHILD, Rory, I know all about Stranger Danger and all that crap. What’s the matter with y-”

“I’m being SERIOUS here, babe. Watch yourself,” he snapped, his fingers tightening into you. You flinched. Rory had a temper, but it wasn’t often that he let himself go like this out in public.

After an awkward silence, you nodded, and he released you, choosing instead to take your hand as you both walked home to your shared apartment.

\-----

**Present Day**

You awoke to the sound of someone enthusiastically using your front door knocker. Stretching, you thought how much it sucked that you seemed to be getting woken up by the door lately. It was your off day, but you were not expecting company. _Maybe the mailman?_ But you were not expecting a package either. As you made your way over, slipping on some house shoes, you saw that it was close to noon and you had hardly made any headway on your paper. With a groan, you swung open the door, prepared to shoo away this lost postman.

“Yes, can I help y-?”

“HUMAN!” If you were not awake before, you certainly were now. Standing on your doorstep was Papyrus, holding a little plastic container. Before you could stop from stammering in surprise, Sans peered around his brother’s legs, an entire pie held in his hands.

“Do you always just open the door without checking who it is?” Sans joked, as both he and Papyrus stepped into your apartment. Dumbfounded, you simply shut the door behind them and followed them in.

“Ah! It has been far too long since I, Papyrus, paid you a visit in your home!  Ohh! What a lovely...er...what is this?” He was holding up a frilly bow that he picked up off the kitchen counter. You snatched it out of his hands.

“It’s for my hair. Alphys invited me to some big ‘anime convention’ and she demanded I cosplay with her and Undyne,” you answered, rushing back into your room and shoving the offending accessory into a drawer. You were not sure why you were so embarrassed, but you were, damnit! You loved the both of them, but they sure were quick to make themselves right at home. Coming back out into the living room, you saw that Sans and Papyrus had done just that, lounging on your couch, the latter peering at your laptop screen. Sans noticed your return and chuckled.

“Aw, what? Got rid of it, pal? I’m sure you would’ve looked _bowtiful_ in it.” Yup, you were really embarrassed. You stomped over and snapped your laptop shut.

“I-I thought you only did skeleton puns!” you said quickly, unable to think of anything to say, still trying to rationalize how flustered you were. Sans shrugged.

“A pun’s a pun, everything is fair game when you’re a comic.”

“You were writing about History, human? How fascinating!” Papyrus boomed. “Why, Undyne has told me so many intriguing things about the world! Just the other day, she showed me one of her many ‘animes’ set in ‘foo-dahl Japan’, I think, and it sure was a rib-tickler. You see, there were these samurai, but apparently they were _forbidden lovers_ , too! Well, the _emperor_ -” A quick hand over his mouth was enough to get him to stop. Once Papyrus got himself going, there was little you could do to stop him. You sat down next to him and let out an exhausted sigh before moving your hand.

“What are you guys doing here?” Papyrus looked over at Sans before shrugging.

“Sans was the one who suggested we come over. Why _are_ we here?” You, too, turned to look at Sans. He put a hand to his chin, mulling it over.

“No idea, just had a _gut feeling_.” You flopped backwards onto the couch. Unbelievable. “Nah, I’m just kidding, buddy. You were giving me a, uh, weird vibe yesterday, thought some snacks would help cheer you up. Besides, homework is no fun. Take it from me, you could use a break.”

“Ah, yes! The snacks!” Papyrus shouted, kicking his legs over the back of the couch and falling in a heap behind it. He hopped to his feet and brought over the pie and the container. “I! Papyrus, Magnificent Chef and Professional Best Friend, have concocted my most elegant and tantalizing plate of spaghetti to date!! Oh and Sans made you a cinnamon-butterscotch pie, although, between you and me, he didn’t even make it by himself like I did! Oh no, he had Toriel help him with it and if you ask me-” He was silenced by a sudden blow on the back of his head from a rogue slipper. You both turned to look at Sans, one of his feet now bare. He shrugged.

“Whoops. Must be a slipper ghost or something, throwing stuff around. How rude.”

As the brothers set off to squabbling (well, more Papyrus got to frantically shouting and Sans remained relatively calm), you remembered yourself. You remembered the conversation you had with Rory last night. Glancing over at the clock, you realized that he would be home in an hour, maybe less, for his lunch break. Without meaning to, you stood up, crying out sharply as you banged your knee on the coffee table. This startled the skeletons out of their one-sided bickering.

“Hey, you alright? You’re so jumpy lately, pal,” Sans said, standing up. Papyrus had also gotten to his feet, unsure what to do with his hands, not knowing whether to reach out and help you or keep his distance as you hopped and cursed. You nodded.

“I’m just peachy. Just...I think it’s time you guys got home. I really wasn’t expecting company and I’ve got a lot of homework, you know how it is, busy, busy!” During this rushed explanation, you kept looking over at the clock. Sans took notice. He shoved his hands in his pockets and his smile became strained.

“You sure we can’t stick around? I'm sure _Rory_ wouldn't-” He stopped short when you shot him a pleading look, begging him with your eyes to not get into it right now. There was nothing to talk about and you were certainly not going to have an argument with your jealous boyfriend about your two best friends while those same two best friends were sitting in the living room. Once again, you were thankful that he dropped it.

Sans tugged at Papyrus’s arm. “Let’s go, bro.”

The taller brother looked between the two of you before giving in as well. He stooped down slightly to wrap you in a tight hug. Papyrus shuffled out of the way and for a second you were confused until you saw that he was looking pointedly at his brother. With a moment’s hesitation, Sans stepped up and held you as well.

“You can be honest with me, y'know, pal,” he whispered, but it was so soft and he was at the door so suddenly, you could have imagined it.

Seeing both the skeletons off, you plopped back down on the couch, opening up your laptop only to stare blankly at the screen. That was an incredibly bizarre whirlwind of a visit. What did Sans even mean? You _were_ being completely honest. There was nothing he had to worry about. Rory just had a bad temper, that was all. Relationship drama should stay just there, between the two people in the relationship. True, he had been getting worse as time got on, but you were sure it had to do with stress at work. Being the son of the CEO of a lawn care company, he had certain expectations he had to meet, he had told you so time and again. You were understanding. He was just tired and frustrated. You could handle being the outlet for him, you did not mind.

The door slammed open and you jumped. Once again, you found you had done absolutely nothing in regards to your paper. Before you could think too much about that, Rory came sliding onto the couch beside you, tugging you into a passionate kiss. He pressed a card into your hands before leaping up again to head to the kitchen.

“Check it out, babe! Got us tickets for the concert they’re having on the beach close to here! Heard these guys were a real hit!” He paused. “Where’d this pie come from?” You scrambled.

“Ahh, we’ve got new neighbors! Th-They just wanted to make a good impression! Can’t remember their house number though, stupid me, haha…” It was a terrible lie, but it worked, as you heard Rory grunt in reply and cut himself a slice.

Despite your initial worries, you settled, thankful that the skeleton brothers had visited after all. Even if you felt you had been a little rude, it was nice to have a pie you could look forward to. Maybe the spaghetti would be okay, too-

“Eughhh, this stuff must’ve gone off!” Rory groaned. You heard him dump the contents into the trash. A soft sigh escaped you.

Well...you were looking forward to pie. And maybe the concert would be a treat, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the wonderful comments and kind words! I really appreciate it. It feels good that people are enjoying this story as much as I am
> 
> Please go give my Tumblr a follow where I'm holding a makeshift poll on what major Reader will be deciding on: http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/  
> \-----  
> Edit 9/20/17: Another chapter revised. Still trucking forward!
> 
> Again, here's all my updated social media links:  
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/GhostieNaps) // [Personal Tumblr](http://ghostnappalie.tumblr.com/) // [Writing Tumblr](http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/) // [Art Tumblr](https://ghostnappaliesartblog.tumblr.com/)


	4. A Good Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The music was loud and you were happy...

Despite your initial nervousness about the whole thing, you could not help but smile a little at Rory’s expression. His mouth was agape in disbelief, the sunglasses on his face sliding down the bridge of his nose. You giggled softly only for him to look between you and the crowd on the beach.

“Did you know the DJ was going to be a monster?” he asked, leaning in close to you so he could whisper it as quietly as possible. You shrugged.

“You _didn’t_ know the DJ was going to be a monster…?”

He could only glare around at the dancers on the beach. There were humans and monsters alike, clustered in front of the makeshift stage, dancing to the beat. If there was anything that could get you excited, it was feeling that thudding sound pound in your chest. You took Rory’s hand.

“Let’s go dance!” Your excitement faltered when Rory slipped from your grip. Turning, you saw that he had a deep frown set on his face. He shoved both his hands in his pockets and refused to look at you.

“I’m gonna get us some drinks. Set up our stuff wherever you want,” he mumbled, before marching away towards the refreshments. You were still for a moment, absorbing what had been said to you, before sighing and laying out the towels.

This concert was supposed to be about you, right? This was an apology for how he treated you last night, and yet, Rory was sulking about the fact that there was a monster DJ in a town filled to the brim with monsters. He needed to get over his prejudices, after all, your best friends were monsters. You slammed the umbrella into the sand, the force of it shaking you through your arms. Plopping down onto the towels, you surveyed the area.

Even from here, you could see that the line for food was ridiculously long, but that was to be expected with the concert well underway. With a snort, you thought about how you had wanted to leave earlier in the day to get to the beach, but Rory could not be bothered. Now he was going to be stuck in line for a long time. Served him right.

Suddenly, you had an idea. With a quick burst of determination, you hopped to your feet, shrugged off your shawl, and headed towards the stage. Might as well get some dancing in by yourself if Rory was going to be such a wet blanket.

It did not take long before you were enveloped into the crowd. A lot of the monsters there recognized you from the bar, many of them being regulars. Unsurprising, since the town was incredibly small. They cheered and swayed with you, and you were happy to shimmy your way into the midst of them. The music was thick and the excitement from the crowd was almost palpable, surrounding you and filling you up with an insurmountable amount of energy. Even though the evening by the water was cold, you were beginning to sweat from exerting yourself so much. Your sour mood was quickly turning to happy energy, shaking your body to the music to work it all out.

There was a hard smack on your back that startled you out of your revelry. You spun around to come face to face with Undyne. Alphys waved from behind her. They were both wearing some adorable swimsuits, Undyne’s being a black two-piece, simple and practical, and Alphys’s a simple blue one piece, reminiscent of the various animes you watched together with them. You waved enthusiastically in reply. The three of you quickly set back to dancing, excited to be spending time together.

“I'm glad I bumped into you guys,” you shouted, trying to make your voice carry over the music and noise of the crowd. “How did you guys manage to score tickets? Didn’t they all sell out?” Undyne and Alphys looked between each other in confusion.

“It’s a freaking beach, dude, we just showed up,” Undyne laughed. “Why, did someone make you pay to stand around on a public beach? Did you have to shell out 20 bucks to unplug your ears or something?” Alphys was a little more concerned.

“U-Uh...I mean, I-I saw that Jerry was, uh, trying to s-sell tickets to this concert. Undyne, m-maybe we were supposed to pay somebody to be here!” Her girlfriend shook her head.

“You said _Jerry_ was the one dishing out tickets? Man, that guy is full of it.” She gave you a worried glance. “Hope you didn’t give that loser any of your money. Besides, he gives me the creeps anyway.” Undyne punctuated that last statement with a shudder. You and Alphys were familiar with the odd monster and nodded in agreement. What a creep.

“‘Creeps’, huh?” The voice made all three of you spin around and Undyne shrieked with delight. Sans was there with Papyrus. “You’re not talking about me, are ya?” Undyne could only rush up to the pair of skeletons and wrapped Papyrus in a hug. You and Alphys were a little slower on the uptake.

Papyrus was wearing swim trunks, an open Hawaiian shirt, and a pair of shades taped to his skull. You were unsurprised that Papyrus had no problem getting into the spirit of things, it was Sans that had you floundering. Somehow (you had no doubt his brother had something to do with it), he had been convinced into changing out of his usual clothes into something more beach appropriate. He had on a tank top that read “PROFESSIONAL BEACH HUNK” in giant, block lettering, his own pair of swim shorts, and a dark visor resting on top of his head. Noticing you were still trying to come up with something to say, he gave you a friendly wink.

“Man, I must look so good, you can’t even _hyoid_ how much you're staring.” This finally shook you out of your spell and you laughed, a warm tinge to your cheeks.

“Nope. No _bones_ about it, you are, in fact, a Professional Beach Hunk.” Everyone groaned at your pun, but Sans stopped short. He seemed to be looking around while the group started to move with the crowd again.

You hardly noticed when he slid beside you as you two danced. Smiling down at him, you faltered for a moment, noticing his serious expression. He had been looking at you like that a lot lately. Sans motioned for you to lean down a little, like he wanted to say something privately to you. You obliged him, never ceasing your movements, trying not to arouse the suspicions of your friends.

“Where’s your boyfriend at?” he mumbled, breath hot in your ear.

You shot up with a start. It had not occurred to you that Rory might get pissed off at the sight of you dancing with his apparent Enemy Number One. Where was he? You hopped a little, trying to see over the crowd. He was still in line for the refreshments, still looking incredibly sour. With a sigh of relief, you wordlessly waved towards the food stand. Sans looked over there and his eyes hardened, but only for a moment, before turning back to you.

“He’s missing out on a good time.”

Something about the quiet way Sans said that made you pause. However, when you looked at him for an answer to the unknown question in your head, you saw that his eyes were shut as he swayed to the beat. There was something he was trying to say, something he was trying to imply, but you could not wrap your head around it. Sans had been behaving so strangely lately. Instead of worrying about that, though, you threw yourself back into the rhythm of the song. This concert was supposed to be fun, damn it, and you were determined to have some!

Sans deserved to have some fun, too, you decided, as you gripped his hands. He jumped in surprise, but you had only been trying to get his attention. Pointing between the two of you, trying to get him to understand that you wanted to dance with him, you bumped him with your hip. The nudge seemed to rouse him out of his serious mood and, with a tinge of blue to his cheeks, he nervously began to dance, too. Well, in a manner of speaking. He seemed too nervous to put much heart into it, swaying from one foot to the other, but he seemed happy to watch you move beside him. A genuine grin finally spread across his face when you cheered him on as he shuffled.

The DJ had thrown on something contemporary that had lyrics that everyone seemed to know. The whole crowd sang the words, you included, dancing excitedly and sharing in a mutual ecstatic moment with one another. Even your friends were singing along, although, in Undyne’s case, a little off-key. You were just happy everyone was having fun. When that song ended, you cheered and whooped with everyone else, trying to match Undyne’s shrill whistle of satisfaction. You did not notice Sans staring at some of the bruises on your back, his eyes drifting down to your thighs where your shawl had been covering. Before the next song could begin, however, you felt a hand take yours. Looking down, you saw that Sans was gesturing out of the circle of concert-goers and you nodded, allowing him to lead you away and back to your towels.

“Man!” you huffed out, flopping backwards under the shade of your umbrella. It was cold away from the heat of the dancing bodies, so you pulled your shawl back on. “That DJ is great! I could dance all night!” You felt Sans take a seat beside you, laughing to himself.

“Yeah, you were really _busting your bones_ out there.” Flipping on your side to face him as he lounged next to you, you waggled a finger at him.

“You were not exactly holding back either, mister!” you retorted with a smirk. He could only shrug in response.

Quiet settled over you both as you gazed out onto the water. The moon was starting to creep up, chasing away the little sunlight that was left of the day. You sighed in contentment.

“I’m having a really great time. Can’t believe it was Rory’s idea to come out here.” At his name, Sans perked up and glanced at you.

“Your boyfriend wanted to take you to a monster concert?”

“He didn’t know it was a monster concert.”

“There’s only one DJ in town, how was it _not_ going to be a monster concert?” You could only shrug at that.

“Whatever he thought, I thought it was nice of him to try and make things up to me by bringing me here.” Once again, the skeleton looked at you with questioning eyes.

“What, did he do something to upset you?” The question was so serious and direct, you were caught off guard. You sat up quickly and shook your head sharply.

“N-No! We just…” You thought about last night’s events, trying to figure out how to word it. It really sounded much worse if you tried to explain it so you decided to be vague. “...We got into an argument, that’s all. Nothing to w-”

“I really don’t like it when you lie to me.”

You stopped short. Sans was not looking at you. His grin was strained and his pupils were dim, but you had the distinct feeling he was staring at you. He had wrapped his arms around his knees, curling up as much as possible. Unsure of how to respond to this, you reached out.

“Sans, look, you don’t-”

“Hey, babe!” Rory’s voice cut you off and your head swiveled around to see that he was approaching from your opposite side, water bottles in each hand. You stood up, glancing behind you to see that Sans was gone. Your boyfriend stopped in front of you, pressing the cold drink into your unsteady hands. “That took so long, holy shit. Your boss was working the booth so I guess that’s why you were off today.”

“Oh, I see,” you said. If Rory noticed how shaken you were, he said nothing, choosing instead to guzzle down his water as you took tentative sips of your own. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before taking yours and tugging at you insistently.

“Listen, babe, I’ve got this wicked place to show you just down the beach, c’mon.”

Without so much as waiting for your response, Rory began dragging you behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this wasn't posted yesterday, but better late than never!
> 
> Please go give my Tumblr a follow where I post announcements and chapters for the fics I write. http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/  
> \-----  
> Edit 9/22/2017: This chapter has been revised! Small stuff, but important nonetheless. As I got more into writing the characters, I feel like my writing got stronger, too. Hopefully that means less work for me from now on lol  
> Revised social media links - [Twitter](https://twitter.com/GhostieNaps%20) // [Personal Tumblr](http://ghostnappalie.tumblr.com/%20) // [Writing Tumblr](http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/%20) // [Art Tumblr](https://ghostnappaliesartblog.tumblr.com/%20)


	5. A Bad Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...then the fun stopped.

You nearly dropped your water as you stumbled on the uneven sand, but that did not stop Rory. Quietly resigning yourself to this sudden adventure, you let him take you further and further away from the crowd to a small outcrop of craggy rocks on the beach. He held your hand as the both of you scaled the stones before ending up on the other side. It was so hard to keep up with him and your feet were unprotected from the sharp edges. You turned and could not see the concert anymore. The music was so distant, you felt alone out on the beach with him. It was starting to get dark, the moon the only light, but it was not too difficult to see. You had the conscious thought that this might even be vaguely romantic, but something made you feel unsettled. Rory, on the other hand, was abuzz with energy.

“Nice, no one can see us back here. Glad those kids told me about this spot because-” Suddenly, he was against you, hands everywhere that your swimsuit and shawl were not covering. “-you look damn good right now.” Your cheeks blossomed with heat as you realized what he was implying and you gently tried to push his hands away.

“C-Can’t we wait until we get home?” Rory ignored you and peppered kisses to your neck, tearing your shawl from off your shoulders. You shuddered, not from pleasure, but nerves. “We’re out in the open, the _whole town_ is over there-!”

“Yeah, isn’t this _hot_ , babe?” he growled against your skin. "Besides, this isn't the first time we've done this kind of thing. Admit it, you liked it back then, too."

Your mind was transported back to foggy memories of illicit touches at school or in his car, sex in the woods, and even him pushing his fingers down your pants on an airplane. The memories were not good ones and they made your stomach roll. The fear of someone seeing you at your most vulnerable, of someone looking into your eyes as you tried to play along for Rory's sake. No, you did not like it at all. You felt the familiar insistent pressure of his fingers wedging between the fabric of your bottoms and your skin, trying to grope you. Pushing more fervently back at him, you began to panic. The dull thump of the far off music and the inexplicable terror creeping over you was overwhelming, pulsing in your veins. You were forgetting to mind your tone with Rory.

“L-Let’s go h-home! We can do this at home!” You were practically shouting now, hands clenched in fists as you desperately tried to get away from his strong grip, but that only served to annoy him

“No. I want you now,” he ground out between clenched teeth. Finally, your wiggling was too much for him and he raised a hand to smack you across the face. The force of it nearly made you fall over, but he clutched at you. You were shocked into finally breaking down completely, not giving a single shit about how angry he would be anymore.

“No! N-no! Stop it! I don’t want to!” Tears were streaming down your face, stinging your tender cheek. “LEAVE ME ALONE!”

Your senses were overloaded. Hands felt like they were touching you everywhere, the thumping distant music pounding in time to the racing beat of you heart, and Rory’s scent and strength encircling you. Trapped. You were trapped there with him and no one would see him do this to you. This was wrong. You felt so wrong there with him, your refusals doing little to deter him as he made more grabs at you. Completely lost to the situation, you were reduced to a flailing, sobbing mess. Your legs gave out as you sunk to the sand, sobbing so hard you could hardly breathe. Rory huffed in frustration, tugging at your arm to try and force you to stand.

“You better hold still, damn it, or I swear to God, I’ll-”

“You’ll _what_?”

Everything stopped. You still felt like you were being clung to, but now it was possessive and angry. Rory was no longer trying to strip you. A sudden wash of relief spread over you as you turned and saw Sans standing atop the rocks. Rory snorted.

“Hey, asshole, can’t I get a little privacy here with my girlfriend?”

Rory’s grip tightened around your arm as Sans hopped down and made his way towards you. However, Sans did not even look at him. His eyes were trained on you. The wind was howling, you felt it blow right through you. He saw the state you were in, knees dug into the sand, tears still flowing down your cheeks, and your face redder on one side than the other. His grin was tight.

Sans was furious.

“You better let go of my friend,” he chuckled, the sound of it cold and remorseless. You were shaking and felt Rory’s stance tremble as well.

“H-hey! You back up!” Rory was trying to drag you backwards with him, but you had gone limp, the shock of it all hitting you. Sans had finally seen what was really going on. At the sight of him pulling at you harder and harder, the small white pupils of Sans’s eyes faded away and he kept stepping forward.

“Ohhh, man, Rory,” he said. This was the first time Sans had ever said his name. He spat it out, like it was vile even using it, giving a name to the coward clutching at you. “You know what?” Suddenly, in a flash, Sans was right in front of the both of you, peering at Rory with empty eye sockets. “ _I never liked you._ ”

Rory stumbled back, finally pushing you away. You fell over onto your side, but you flipped over and scrabbled backwards, away from the pair. Sans had turned for a moment to check that you were clear of the both of them, concern flashing across his face, before continuing his relentless march.

“Yeah, I’m a pretty nice guy, I tend to like just about everybody,” Sans continued. The fear was creeping back into you, but Rory was simply stammering, backed up against the very rocks he had been using to shield himself from getting caught with you there. “But you? You disgust me. And now? You hurt my best friend? My _pal_? The _kindest_ human I know? So you could get your _fucking bone tugged?_ ”

A laugh erupted from him and there he was again, standing in front of Rory in a flash.

“Oh man...Listen, pal-” You watched as Sans raised a hand and a bright flashing light burst from him. Rory was flung into the rocks and he crumpled in a heap. He tried to sit up, but Sans was suddenly on top of him, a foot on his stomach and a hand tugging at his collar so their eyes could meet. “ _-you’re going to have a bad time._ ”

Before Rory could say anything in response, bones came crashing into his face over and over. The blows were fast and relentless, Sans’s fury evident in his manic motions as he directed everything with the precision of a hawk. He hopped off of Rory for a moment, sweat dripping from his skull. Wiping at it absently, blood smeared across his cheekbone, his grin intense. The man before him was shaking, whimpering like a dog

“What does it feel like, huh?! To get stepped on?! To get hit?! Does it _feel good?!_ _Huh?!_ ” Sans shouted. Rory raised his hands across his face, terrified of another blow to his already broken nose. Sans scoffed. “Nothing to say, huh? Well then, just lay there and _BLEED._ ” With a lift of his hands, Rory was lifted into the air and then sent flying towards the crashing waves.

All this time, you were frozen, but as you saw Sans turn and make his way over to Rory’s shaking form, you were stunned. In place of his small pupils, a bright flashing iris had consumed his left eye socket, casting harsh shadows across his face. Your friend, the person you had come to care for so deeply, looked absolutely terrifying. It was in this moment, you remembered: Sans was not human. He could kill Rory if he really wanted to.

Before you knew it, you were on your feet. Shambling towards him, you were trembling. You were afraid of Sans. In this moment, with his eye glowing, with a fierce determination in his stance, you were afraid of what he was capable of.

Your hands were on him. Sans froze.

“Please stop…” you whispered into his jacket. You felt yourself cling tightly to him, wrapping your arms around him. His head turned to you and you were given the full effect of his expression. There was no smile, only clenched teeth and a flashing eye.

“He _hurt_ you,” he hissed. Sans pointed into the waves at Rory, who was trying to stand up. “He’s _FILTH_. He _DESERVES_ this.” With the last bit of courage left in you, both of your hands flew to Sans’s face, turning him to look at you.

“He does, but please...not from you. Not you…”

There was already Rory's blood on his face, the thought of anything worse coming at Sans’s hands squeezed at your heart. He was your best friend, he could not do this for you. He could not get into trouble because of you. Rory did not need the satisfaction, to be proven right about monsters.

It took a moment, but you felt Sans’s entire body relax. His pupils returned, accompanied by some tears of his own. You suspected they were from frustration more than anything. However, when you felt him put a hand across your back, a sudden panic rose within you. You jumped away, leaving Sans there, with a hand outstretched, confusion apparent in his eyes. The whole thing had you confused as well. Blinking away your tears, you put your hands up defensively.

“Sans, I don’t-”

“IT CAME FROM OVER HERE!”

“THE LIGHTS ARE GONE!”

A sudden hum of noise was making its way towards you. Your friends from the concert must have been wondering where you had gone. Your eyes snapped back to the coast and, at your cry of surprise, Sans turned to see what had startled you. Rory had disappeared. Eyes darting everywhere, you could not see where he had gone, a lot of your field of view obscured by rocks.

Undyne was the first to clear the stones, leaping over them easily. Her gaze went between you and Sans before she called out to someone else behind her, letting the others know that the both of you were there.

"What is going on? You guys both up and disappeared, then all the shouting and the lights...Is that _blood?_ " Sans wiped at his face absentmindedly, not looking at her.

"He was hurting them," came his simple reply. At that, it was Undyne's turn to bristle.

"Like hell he did! Where is the bastard? I oughta kill the son of a bitch-"

"Undyne, stop." Both monsters looked at you in surprise, Undyne almost seeming to have forgotten that you were there. She bounded over to you, arms out, but you flinched away from her as well. She was stunned.

“H-Hey, what’s going on…?”

Again, she tried to touch you, but this time you pushed at her hand with your own, trembling as you did so. There were more tears in your eyes. Undyne was visibly hurt as you snubbed her attempts at affection, but the thought of being touched made your skin crawl. You did not know why. You were so exhausted and so frightened still.

Without really understand, you pushed past her, your feet carrying you with a sudden speed, and ran.

Undyne was still frozen in place, watching you disappear. Alphys and Papyrus had finally made it to her, but she did not notice. She whipped her head around.

“Can you tell me just what the _hell_ happened here?”

But she was yelling at nothing. Sans was also gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the mad dunking everyone was asking for in the comments, I sincerely hope it's what you were all looking forward to. Thank you so much for reading.
> 
> Please consider giving my fanfic Tumblr a follow! I post updates there, too, as well as little tidbits about when things will get released. Also I answer questions and take requests~ http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/  
> \-----  
> 9/23/17 Edit: Fixed up the fight scene and, again, some small revisions here and there. Definitely one of the fan favourite chapters if I remember right lol y'all really wanted to see Rory get his ass beat.
> 
> Social Media Links - [Twitter](https://twitter.com/GhostieNaps%20) // [Personal Tumblr](http://ghostnappalie.tumblr.com/%20) // [Writing Tumblr](http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/%20) // [Art Tumblr](https://ghostnappaliesartblog.tumblr.com/%20)


	6. Long Walks, Quiet Talks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was dark and you were running. Was someone following you? You didn't stop to find out.

Your feet were carrying you away from it all. Sand quickly turned to solid concrete and your legs were sore already. The cold air stung your lungs, but you did not stop. At some point, you had lost your shoes, but that did not even register in your mind. All you could do was force air down your throat and movement into your legs. Maybe you could outrun the reality of what had just happened, escape the glaring truth in front of you.

Rory had hurt you. Rory had _been_ hurting you, for a long time, in so many ways. You shook your head, finding yourself on the road. Pebbles stuck to the soles of your feet and you stumbled. Still, you ran.

With the whole town on the beach, the roads were eerily quiet. The soft pitter patter of your uneven steps practically echoed down the street. It was early enough that the streetlights still had not come on, too, so you were just finding yourself jogging down dim paths without really paying attention to where you were going.

At some point, you turned off the streets, instead choosing to cut across backyards and over a few fences. Paranoia struck you when you startled a cat in an alleyway, causing it to knock over some trashcans. Your mind was wrenched back to the beach, to the spot where Rory should have been laying, but he had not been. Where did he go? Was he following you? Your eyes darted around wildly, frantic and afraid. Was someone following you? Were people looking for you? You did not think you wanted to be found.

Your foot sank into some soft mud unexpectedly, and you found yourself face first in the thick of it. You did not care. What did it matter? What did any of it matter to you? You could never face any of them again after that, after realizing what had happened to you. Shame washed over you, the filth of the mud on your face the final insult that broke you. You were running away like a child, as though you would just never go back home again. Would you even have a home to go back to? God, you felt like an idiot. Maybe you should have just given him what he wanted. The thought exited your mind as quickly as it had popped in, making your quiver with revulsion. Where you really thinking about that now?  
  
Sitting up in the mud, you wiped the tears out of your eyes to take in your surroundings. It was a small park, no playground equipment or anything, just someplace people could walk if they wanted to be alone. Boy, did you want to be alone. After all that running, you felt that you could not bear to walk another step, instead choosing to crawl feebly under the protective canopy of a large tree. Pressing your back against the wood, you tried to quiet your hiccuping sobs, to no avail. The cold air had wreaked havoc on your throat, making you cough and feel as though you wanted to vomit, although you were not sure if that second part was also because you could not get the feeling of his hands off you.

“Hey, look, don’t freak out, okay?” a quiet voice said, trying to be as gentle as possible. Of course, you totally disregarded this and panicked immediately. You stood, or at least tried to, but quickly found yourself fallen over again, your knees giving out from under you. Squeezing your eyes shut, all you could do was whimper and shield your face with trembling arms. The voice made a soft shushing sound. “Hey, hey! Easy there, pal…!”

It was Sans. You slowly unfurled as he continued to purr at you, but you could barely stand to look at him. He was eyeing you up and down, taking stock of your appearance, but keeping his distance. With dirty, bare feet, goosebumps all over you from the freezing cold, and a face full of dirt, you could not have looked good. It was clear he wanted to help you, to pick you up, to hold you, to do _something_ immediately, but he was nervous about spooking you. His hands were shaking. You felt a renewed wash of shame prickle across your face and the tears came flowing even harder. Pressing your palms against your eyes, pushing so hard you were seeing spots of white, you tried to shut yourself up.

“G-God, Sans…! I’ve been so s-s-stupid!” you choked out. You heard him shift closer to you without thinking, but he stopped when you flinched. A strangled noise came out of his throat, clearly hurt at the motion.

“You’re...! You're not stupid...Look, hey, I’m going to come closer, is that okay? I’ve got something for you.” Peering up at him, you could see that he had your shawl in his hands. You thought that it had gotten lost in the ocean after Rory had torn it off you. There it was again, the ghostly sensation of hands on you, invading you. Shivers ran down your spine as you tried to shake it away. Sans was standing there patiently, waiting for you to tell him it was alright. After a moment’s hesitation, you curled up again, pressing your forehead to your knees to cover your face.

“Okay…”

His steps were slow, giving you a chance to tell him to back off if you found yourself suddenly uncomfortable at all, but you tried to stay calm. Sans’s footfalls in the grass stopped beside you.

“I’m going to put this on you, okay? It’s freezing out here, you know.”

Again you mumbled your agreement. You felt the shawl drape loosely over your shoulders. You realized you had not stopped shivering since the fight. The memory of it all flashed into your mind all over again, making you wince. You wish you could just forget it. Sans paused, seeing you tremble. He was being so careful, you felt guilty.

“...Can I sit here?” Seeing you stiffen, he clarified it by saying, “I won’t...touch you, okay? You, uh, you’re pretty scared right now. I won’t do anything until you say it’s okay, alright?”

You nodded. Watching out of the corner of your eye under your arm, you saw Sans take a seat next to you. His eyes found you peeking at him, but he quickly glanced away. He did not want to make you feel uncomfortable. Yet, there you were, completely unsure of what to do or what to say. He looked so worried and it hurt you to think that it was because of you.

“I’m so sorry, Sans...I should have just...I should have known-” He cut you off.

“Nah, listen, you didn't really seem to...know, you know?” There was no smile on his face, just an expression of determination. He wanted you to understand. "Yeah, just because it might have been starting to get clearer for _me_ to understand what was up doesn't mean that, uh, you knew, you know? A-And I won't lie and say that I didn't sometimes wonder why you never said anything about it, but I guess that's just me being selfish. You're my best friend. It had to have been something you were conflicted about if you couldn't even talk to me about it...Again, maybe that's me making the selfish assumption that you'd even tell me if something were wrong.”

Had you known? Maybe you did. Maybe you did not want to know. Maybe you did not want anyone else to know either. At the same time...

"I wanted to tell you," you whispered, voice hoarse. Sans was watching you as you sucked in a deep breath to steady yourself. It was true. You had wanted to ask him, to let him know what it was you were dealing with, but you had been afraid that what you were worrying about was nothing. If you acknowledged it, it made it more real. Then there was the fear of dismissal, that maybe Sans would not care. Maybe he would judge you. Yet, there he was, still beside you, having chased you all that way.

The silence hung between the two. You focused on the slow movements of Sans chest, trying to match his even breaths. He was breathing steady for the both of you, despite the concern in his eyes. When had you sat up to look at him? When had you started studying his face? You could not tear your gaze away from his eyes. Before you knew it, the words were pouring out of you.

You told Sans how Rory had been so kind to you in high school, doing everything a person could ever dream of. Flowers, candies, notes, late night taps on your window, mix CDs, hoodies...he had given it all to you with a smile and love. He asked you to the prom using a banner he had hung on his car and did everything he could do to impress you. There was a limo, you said, and his dad took pictures. It was in the Summer after graduation that his mom had died. Cancer in her lungs. In one of his more honest moments, Rory had told you that he could see that she was suffering up until the very end. You went with him to the funeral and he cried when you took his hand. Everything seemed to change after that.

His dad was so hard on him all the time, to do better, to _be_ better. Rory was always so determined to do things his way, to get things done the best way he could with what he had. However, no matter what he did, it never seemed to be enough for his father. He would complain to you about it regularly until it just stopped and he held it inside, even when you tried to reassure him.

You said you did not know when things started to warp into something worse. Maybe it was after you had begun living together. Was it the income? Your job at the bar paid well, but nothing in comparison to his sizable check from the lawn care company. Maybe he felt you were not contributing in the right ways. Maybe he felt trapped with his father because of your smaller earnings.

Then, all the yelling started.

He would get angrier and angrier about little things. He stopped using beautiful words and he stopped trying to surprise you with gifts or affection. It was all about satisfying him and you never could. The jealousy really hurt you, you said, and that made Sans wince, probably out of guilt from egging Rory on. Did Rory not trust you? Was he afraid you were going to leave him? Was that why he kept you so close, so tight against him? Was that why every action felt so deliberate, so composed, but only barely so?

You stopped to suck in a breath, before you whispered that he forced you to sleep with him even when you did not want to, even when it hurt you. You felt Sans stir, a surge of energy radiating off of him, most definitely out of anger You kept plowing forward, pushing words out of you. You had assumed you were meant to please him. You had assumed that you were being a good girlfriend, being understanding when he did or said hurtful things. You thought that was what you were supposed to do. You were supposed to love him through the good and the bad.

“Rory was not always that way. I can only remember the sweet guy from high school, the one holding open that limo door. I remember it. I really thought he would come back, that if I just...if I just was understanding, he would be the same again…”

The night was heavy as what you said, what you had admitted, was absorbed by the both of you sitting there. You could tell that Sans was trying not to yell, trying not to get too angry. He was practically shaking with emotion. Sans probably did not want you to think he was angry because of you, that was why he was taking such measure breaths. It was awhile before he could speak, his voice a little uneven.

“What he did is not a reflection of you...okay? What he _did..._ was not because of you. It was because he's a piece of shit." He watched you flinch at that, but continued on. "What he did, whatever the reason, was wrong. It was wrong of him to hurt you because of whatever it was he was feeling at the time, whatever it is that, uh, I guess he’s still feeling. _You_ are a good person. You're not stupid for putting up with that shit, you just really loved him and you were hoping things would be different."

You mumbled, "...Things won't be different...will they?" Sans looked over at you with a pained expression before shaking his head.

"After how hard he got dunked at the beach? Probably not," he huffed out.

That was right, Sans had protected you pretty fiercely. It was odd feeling a sad smile tug at your lips even though you felt like absolute garbage. You were still nervous about the whole thing, but Sans was listening to you. He was sitting there hearing you spill your guts about this thing you had kept from him and he was still there. He was still going to be your friend through it all.

With the tiniest bit of courage left in you, you reached out and brushed his fingers with yours, letting them rest gently on his pinkie and ring finger. He had jumped a bit, startled after your reluctance to be touched by Undyne, but he let you continue at your own pace. You squeezed his fingers much like he had done at the bar to yours the other day. It felt like a lifetime ago. He curled his hand a small bit in encouragement.

"Thank you."

You were not just thanking him for rescuing you at the beach or for apparently running after you as you ran. You were not even thanking him for having the forethought to grab your discarded shawl because he knew you would be cold. You were thanking him for being there with you, in so many more ways than just beside you in the middle of some random park. Sans was such a wonderful friend to you and you had not really thought about how much you appreciated him. If you thought about it for too long, you might start crying again.

Hearing you sniffle, Sans offered a smile. It brought you more comfort than you would ever be able to express to him.

Sans stood up slowly, giving you a chance to react to it. Once again, he was being so careful. It was kind of him. He pulled gently at your fingers, coaxing you into holding his hand. He wanted to help pull you up and, tentatively, you let him.

"C'mon. You can stay over at mine and Papyrus's place tonight."

You nodded numbly, acutely aware of the danger in going home. You held his hand so he could guide you through the dark park and back onto the sidewalk. He commented on the fact that you were not wearing shoes and you shook your head, explaining that they had gotten lost when you were running. Sans was quiet for a beat before saying he was glad he at least grabbed your shawl for you.

His hand was a comfort, you were enjoying the feeling of being pulled by such a solid and reliable force. In a small, small way, you felt at ease.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this was so late you guys, my modem completely died on me and I only got Internet up again just before I had to go to work. Not only that, but I'm dumb and I've been writing YDM in Google Docs so I couldn't edit it without internet. Now, wise with knowledge gained through the toils of hardship, I'm just going to write the chapters in Notepad lol
> 
> EDIT: That's not working out so well either. Wishing it wouldn't give me these weird formatting problems. Any suggestions? I don't have Microsoft office. _(:3_)_
> 
> Thank you for your patience! Please check out my Tumblr where I post announcements, answer questions, and be a Huge Dweeb™: http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/  
> \-----  
> EDIT 10/10/2017: Sorry for the wait for this edit! I'm still working on it, don't worry!
> 
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	7. The Night Goes On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Small interim chapter to set up the next one. Sorry updates had to stop so suddenly.

“Ah...shit.”

Before making your way to Sans and Papyrus's house, you had pushed Sans to take you by the apartment to grab some things. You wanted to at least grab some fresh clothes so you would not have to worry about borrowing anything from the skeleton brothers. Sans tried to insist again that it would be okay, that he would help you figure something out from his limited wardrobe, but you had refused.

Hoping beyond hope that Rory had not gone straight home after the concert, you were proven terribly wrong. Strewn across the lawn were all your things. Clothes were tossed everywhere, your laptop was busted against the hard concrete of the sidewalk, and many smaller things were thrown about the grass, too. And, as if things could not get any worse, it looked like the sprinklers had gone off so now everything was soaking wet as well. There was a moment where you both stared silently at the mess before Sans spoke up.

“...I'm gonna send him to hell where he belongs,” he said, already crackling with magical energy. You jumped away from him, anxious about his strength, shushing him as well. It would be awful luck to be caught out in the lawn by Rory if he was that furious. Sans quickly calmed himself. “S-Sorry...Just...Seriously? Is he serious right now?”

“This isn't the first time he's done something like this, but it's never been this bad," you mumbled with a grimace. You saw that Sans's teeth were held tightly together when you glanced up at him. "How are we going to carry all this over there?”

Sans watched you pick up some of your wet clothes, the cloth freezing to the touch. The night was growing cold and your feet were sore and your things were practically getting frozen to the grass and...There was just so much, too much to process. The events of the night had already had you so tired, seeing all of this mess left you feeling absolutely overwhelmed. Thinking about it almost had you in tears again. You should have just listened to Sans and gone straight to his house, there was no way that going back to the apartment was a good idea. It was so obvious, you felt like an idiot all over again. A hand to your shoulder made you jump.

“Ah, shit, sorry again,” Sans said, quickly taking his hand away and backing off. “Look, let me take care of it, pal.”

“There's...” You trailed off and gestured wordlessly at the mess around you, trying to get him to understand that it would be too much for him on his own. He shook his head.

“I mean it. Don't worry about it. Now-” He offered out a hand before you could protest further. “-I'm going to show you a shortcut to my house. It's going to feel kind of, uh, weird. There's going to be some magic, too, is that okay?”

You were still anxious about the whole “magic” business. It was not like you did not know monsters had control of such things. Everyone knew that monsters were incredibly attuned to their Souls, more so than even the old human sorcerers had been. Honestly, you were a little nervous about seeing Sans use it again, thinking about how he had looked so menacing on the beach. However, if it would make things easier for him, you thought you ought to at least try. Swallowing down your nerves, you nodded and took his hand.

“Okay, so, it's going to be really fast, you might feel kinda sick afterwards. I promise I'll try to get it over with as soon as possible. Just close your eyes-” As he spoke, his pupils faded away into one glowing iris in his left socket. “-and trust me.”

Closing your eyes, you felt a slow warmth spread from Sans's hand into yours and over your body. Your breath caught in your throat as you were completely enveloped in it. So this was what it felt like to use magic? Technically you were not the one using it, but was this how it felt to use your Soul? Well, Sans's Soul, you corrected yourself, making you wonder if everybody's felt so warm and soothing. Your weariness seemed to fade away and, with Sans guiding you to step forward, you thought that it might not so bad.

In an instant, you felt yourself get pulled forward by your middle. You could not breathe. Everything felt like it was whipping around you. Even if you wanted to open your eyes, the force on your body had you squeezing them tight.

As quickly as it had happened, it stopped, the magic creeping out of you and back into Sans. You had to lean against him as your knees felt wobbly, losing the supporting warmth of his magic. He was not wrong, you felt like you might throw up. You changed your mind about the whole ordeal. That was horrible, magic was horrible.

Sans put a gentle hand on the small of your back, guiding you to drape an arm over his shoulder.

“Yeah, it took me a long time to get used to that, too. I didn't really have the _stomach_ for it at first.” Sans watched your face as you tried to let out a weak laugh, but it turned into an ominous gurgle in your throat. Your head was spinning. “Ah, come on, let's get you inside.”

You looked up to see that you were indeed in front of the skeletons' home. It was not your first time there, it also was not your first time there alone with Sans, but, as you crossed the threshold on wobbly legs, you once again felt that the house was missing something without Papyrus's energy to fill the space. He had to still be out with Undyne and Alphys. Was he worried about you? No doubt, knowing him. Undyne had been so upset when you brushed her off. You bit your lip in guilt, barely aware of Sans guiding you to sit on the couch.

Sans had explained before that the house was practically identical to their old home Underground in “Snowdin” (“the actual name of the place, not just a great pun” he had assured you) and it was pretty nice in all honesty. The kitchen was somehow immaculate, despite Papyrus's famously enthusiastic cooking. The living room was wide open and welcoming, little in it aside from the large couch you were on top of, the television and movies in front of you, and the end tables on either side of you. One of the tables had Sans's pet rock sitting on it, star sprinkles stuck to the top. You feebly patted it out of habit. You shut your eyes and heaved out a careful sigh. If you forced yourself to breathe too hard, you were seriously worried you would throw up everywhere.

“H-How long does this usually last...?” you mumbled, pressing your fingers against your temples. You felt a shift in the air and opened your eyes to see that Sans was standing in front of you, a glass of water held out in front of him. He had probably grabbed it from the kitchen. You were used to his quick movements, especially now that you knew how he did it. You took the glass and drank the water greedily.

“Uh, it depends. It wasn't that long of a trip so you'll probably feel better in the morning. For now, you oughta rest.” He watched you shiver a little, scanning your form. You were still only in your bathing suit, now damp from the cold outside. He looked away. “Actually, you should go take a shower...warm up. You're shaking so bad, you must be _chilled to the bone_.”

“I don't have anything to wear.”

“I'll take care of it.” Those words seemed to be his go to for the evening.

With a bit more quiet coaxing, Sans convinced you to go upstairs and take a much-needed shower. Your feet were a little cut up and you had sand all over your legs. As you wiped the grit off of you, you vaguely wondered if you had gotten their couch dirty. The water was hot and refreshing though and, for a moment, you lost yourself to the sensation of the heat coating your body. You allowed yourself a minute to just stand there and enjoy it, not thinking about what would have to happen next. Not so much immediately after the shower, but in the next few days.

The calm was short lived. Despite yourself, you could not help but worry about things. Where would you go? How would you tell your other friends? How would you tell your family? Would Rory want to see you again? What would he do if he ran into you?

You jumped as the temperature changed. How long had you been standing there, clean, but thinking? The water had run cold. You toweled off and let your thoughts go back to Sans. You must be such an inconvenience to him. You made him worried. He was going to get your things all by himself. And now you had used up all the hot water. With a sense of reservation, you opened the bathroom door a crack and peeked through, prepared to call out for him.

Sans was leaning against the banister looking out over the living room, but turned when he heard the door open. He must have been waiting for you to finish. He could not see you through the opening, you were covered in a towel anyway, but somehow you still felt embarrassment coil in the depths of your stomach. You did not have a chance to think about it before you felt him try to push something through the door as he looked away. It was a bundle of clothes.

“These might be big on you, but all your clothes are trashed right now. This should hold you over till to _marrow_.” You barely registered the pun as you clicked the door shut again, leaving him laughing a little stiltedly outside the door. It was one of Sans's many, very similar outfits. It was absolutely mortifying putting it on without any underwear, but there was little you could do.

As you dressed, you caught sight of your body in the mirror. It was not the first time you had seen the many scars and discolorations left on your skin from Rory's past brutalizings, but it felt like you were seeing them with open eyes. Your fingers ghosted over old cuts and scraps, wincing at the still-fading bruises on your inner thighs. Your face did not look as red, but it felt tender to the touch. He had really been hurting you.

You felt so stupid. How had you not seen the signs? Sans had said that it was not your fault, but, looking at yourself now, how had you not seen this? You thought about how you had looked in that bathing suit. Could people see the scars on you that whole time? It was dim, even in the lights of the stage on the beach, but that whole time...had people seen your skin and not said anything about it? You had not noticed them until you really looked, but the thought left you ashamed.

A soft knock on the door stirred you. You quickly flung on the clothes, thankful they were so baggy so you could not tell that you were without underpants or a bra, before once again peeking out the door.

“You...You okay in there?” Sans asked, obviously unsure of what to say. He was worried, but he had no clue what to do. Stepping out into the chill of the house, you nodded sheepishly.

Despite your relief at how loose everything was on your body, you could not help but wrap your hands around yourself protectively. Seeing those scars so clearly left you feeling more naked than not wearing undergarments had. Sans looked you over once, happy that the clothes would work for you, before starting back downstairs towards the living room.

“I'm glad they fit you, I know I'm kind of _big-boned_ so...” He trailed off into a half-hearted laugh. You appreciated that he was trying to alleviate the sour mood in the only way he knew how.

Silently, you made your way back to the couch and watched as Sans bustled around the room. You were sure he could “teleport” and do things much faster, but part of you felt that he was worried about making you nervous. It was strange feeling him so concerned. Again, it filled you with guilt. Your mind was a mess, you barely felt real.

Sans had gathered up a pile of blankets and some pillows for you. You made another weak attempt at trying to talk him out of letting you stay there even though you really had no other alternative, but you just did not have the energy. Your skeletal friend's gentle, but firm tone also had you convinced that he would not let you leave. It was not meant in a menacing way, he just wanted you to be safe after everything that happened.

Gently, he pushed you to lay down and haphazardly splayed the blankets over you, cocooning you in softness. You tried to latch onto the sensation since you were feeling a little lost, almost missing when Sans put his hand atop everything. You did not know what to say, words were not coming to you very easily, but you hoped he knew how much you appreciated him. From the tinge of blue on his cheeks and sheepish pat of affection to he mass of fabric, it seemed he did. Unbidden, he reassured you that Papyrus would not mind you staying over, but you barely heard him as you felt yourself drift off to sleep.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please follow my fanfic Tumblr for updates about the story and more information about why chapters have slowed down substantially: http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/  
> \-----  
> EDIT 10/15/2017: Some more edits! Got an email saying that my writing Tumblr is 2 years old already and, man...that's wild to me???


	8. And On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter Papyrus

You had awoken on the skeleton's couch, groggy and ill after your shortcut from the night before. Thankfully your sleep had been restful. No night terrors or fits to keep you from getting some well-deserved rest. The events of last night stumbled back into your head and you groaned. You had just woken up, but the memory seemed to sap all of your energy away in one fell swoop. It was going to be a long day.

Sitting up, you felt your feet slip as you tried to right yourself. You were still disoriented so it took you a second to realize you had knocked over a neatly stacked pile of clothes. Upon further inspection, you found they were _your_ clothes. You saw that there were also a few boxes nearby.

Sans had made good on his word and brought all your things back to the house while you were asleep. Apparently he had also washed your clothes, too, you realized, after pressing a now disheveled shirt to your face. It smelled strongly of his and Papyrus's fabric softener.

Thinking of Papyrus, you glanced up at the banister above you where the skeleton brothers' rooms were. Had he come home last night? Maybe he had helped Sans gather your things. God, he must be so confused. But the stillness of the air after you called out a meek greeting revealed that you were alone. No one was awake yet, or maybe they had left the house for awhile? You did not know.

Helping yourself, you shuffled into the kitchen to fetch a drink. Upon opening the cupboard where you knew from previous visits was where they kept cups, you were surprised to find a messily scrawled note stuck to the inside of the door.

_guess you were too sleepy to look beside you, huh?_

You turned back to the couch and flushed when you saw a cup of water on the side table. It was on the end where you head had been lying. How had you not seen it? God, you were so out of it.

When you returned to your makeshift bed, you found that there were also various over the counter medicines beside the glass. There was also another note.

_morning. didn't know what you'd need so I just got a little of everything._

Sans seemed to think of everything. Chuckling softly, you sorted through the medications until you found your pain reliever of choice. Your head was throbbing and your legs were still sore from that impromptu run last night. Spying a few boxes of medicine for various “digestive troubles”, you were filled with relief knowing you were _only_ suffering from a few aches and pains.

“Oh, you're awake.” The voice was close and it startled you enough to make you slosh water into your lap, the pills in your hand tumbling onto the ground. “Ah, shit, sorry, sorry!” Sans had once again startled you inadvertently. “Heard you calling for me and Papryus, I thought you needed some help with something.”

“N-No, it's okay! My fault! Sorry, I'm so jumpy,” you said, a little frantic. You could not look at him so you trained your eyes on the ground, reaching out for the medicine you had dropped. How embarrassing. Sans's feet shuffled nervously.

“Nah, I get it. From now on, I'll be better about not scaring you _out of your skin_ , alright?” You nodded in assent, swallowing the pills in a rush. Sans spoke up again. “Maybe I should make some more noise or something. Could get a bell if that'd make you feel better.” The image of Sans with a cat bell made you giggle. It was something straight out of Smooch Smooch Meow Meow 4...or whatever that anime that Alpyhs liked. You could not remember. Emboldened by your quiet laughter, Sans took a seat beside you.

“You know, you've been through a lot lately, you can be a little more _sternum_ with me.” You began to protest, but Sans pressed on. “I'm serious. If anything I do or say makes you uncomfortable or nervous, just let me know. I can understand if, uh, stuff reminds you of any shit your ex-boyfriend put you through.”

'Ex-boyfriend'? Well, that made sense to you. It was not like you were going to be running back to him with open arms after everything that had happened. Not that it had not stopped you from going back to him before, but this time was very different. Still, it felt strange to hear. You had not been single in years. Despite everything, a small part of you lamented the loss of the kind guy you had met in high school. There was no doubt in your mind that you would never be with him ever again though. The silence made Sans fidget, but he was waiting patiently for your reply.

_SLAM!_

The sharp sound had you on your feet in an instant. However, the pile of clothes still beside the couch had you flat on your ass in the next moment, making you slip and stumble. You scrabbled backwards, eyes shut tight, and your body trembling. You brought your arms up to shield yourself.

He had found you! He was there to take you back to the house! He was going to hurt you again! Rory had found you and you were going to be-

“Hey! Hey. Hey, it's okay! Shh, hey, you don't need to apologize, you didn't do anything wrong.” Hands tried to gently pry your arms from in front of your face, but you fought against them. You had been muttering apologies and now you were pleading, tears streaming down your face. “Buddy, it's me. It's me, your friend. It's your old buddy, Sans. It's okay, you're okay. You didn't do anything wrong. I won't hurt you, c'mon, calm down. Breathe for me, in and out, real slow.”

The words were pouring out of Sans. They were shaky and uncertain, but they were constant and comforting, something to latch onto in your panic. Your sobs quieted into hiccuping gulps of air, but your heart still pounded in your chest. There was a terrified look in his eyes, but he was trying to remain measured for your sake. Sans took your hands into his own which made you lower them slowly, your eyes still trained on his steady gaze. He did not stop talking. He told you it was okay and that you were safe, that he was there to help you. Nothing but reassurance in an effort to calm you. He was touching your face, wiping at your cheeks with his thumbs, doing everything he could to bring you back down.

You finally had the nerve to look over his shoulder to see what had spooked you. Standing uncertainly behind Sans was Papyrus. He was wringing his hands together in distress. Seeing he had your attention, he was quick to stumble over himself to get closer.

“H-Human!” he boomed, but after a stern look from Sans, he withered. His volume was more controlled as he continued. “I am incredibly sorry to have frightened you so intensely with my grand entrance. Sans had asked that I stay with Undyne and Alphys last night, but when he told me this morning over the phone that you were staying here...w-well, I had to come home immediately! Friend, I have been so very worried about you and your well-being, but now _I_ am the source of further negative emotions! I am deeply sorry!”

Seeing tears beginning to well up in Papyrus's eye sockets grounded you. With one final shaking breath, you exhaled in relief. The skeletons looked between themselves and back at you before you finally used Sans to pull yourself back onto your feet.

“I-It's okay, Paps. I know you didn't mean to scare me, I'm just...a little on edge,” you assured him, still shaken, but honest in your self-assessment.

You had experienced panic attacks before, but this was an altogether new event for you. You assumed the sound of the slamming door had just startled you. All sense of rationality flew out the window as you immediately had thought of the worst thing storming through the door.

In one bounding step, Papyrus flung open his arms and made his way towards you, seeking an embrace.

“Oh, human, I am so glad-!”

“ _Wait!_ ”

Papyrus bumped into a large bone, sending him staggering backwards and making you jump at its sudden appearance. Looking beside you, Sans had his hand raised, the telltale blue iris flickering rapidly in his skull. Sweat formed on his brow. He exhaled and dispelled the bone, the small pupils of his eyes returning to normal. He wiped it away with the back of his hand, attempting to regain his composure.

“Uh, sorry, bro. But, uh...don't you think you oughta ask permission before you go and hug people?” Papyrus brushed off his chest plate and eyed Sans indignantly.

“The human has never said no to one of my endearing and lovable hugs, brother! The human _loves_ my hugs, don't you, hu-?” The words died on his lips as he had turned to look at you more closely.

You had stiffened up when he had approached so suddenly. You did not mean to, but it had surprised you. After that scare, your nerves were frayed. Papyrus once again shrank back into himself.

“Oh. I see. Did...Did I frighten you again, friend?” It took you a moment, but you nodded. He wrung his hands and furrowed his brow in sadness. “Ah. My apologies, human. You have been through quite a lot, it seems. Sans made it sound like it was something incredibly serious and if it was enough to worry my brother, it had to have been something terribly dire!” He paused before continuing, even quieter than before. “I do not know if you wish to tell me what has happened, b-but! I promise to be the best friend you could ever hope for!”

The silence after this soft offering of comfort was heavy. Both the skeletons jumped when they heard you sniffle again. Sans put a gentle hand on your arm as you cried while Papyrus continued to shuffle and agonize a few steps away.

“Human...may I grace you with the splendor of a warm, friendly embrace?” Papyrus asked, meekly opening up his arms. It took a moment, but you quietly nodded your consent.

You felt Papyrus wrap his arms around you. A hand combed through your hair as the other held you firmly by the middle. Part of you worried about ruining his costume, but it did not take long for you to envelope him in an embrace of your own. He did not seem to mind as your body shook with relief and happy sobs. Papyrus emulated the quiet reassurances that Sans had been whispering to you since that seemed to help. His brother watched, a swell of pride growing in his chest.

Your friends were everything you could have hoped for.

Stumbling over your words, you began the process of explaining all that had happened to you to Papyrus while Sans listened. During all of this, the three of you had found your way onto the couch with you sandwiched between them, one of Papyrus's arms still wrapped around your shoulder to keep you close. Every so often his eyes would flicker in surprise before glowing with a similar kind of loathing that crackled inside of Sans. He could not understand how a human could hurt someone that they “loved”.

“This Rory person is not a nice human at all! I have the urge to give him a piece of my mind!” Papyrus exclaimed.

“No! Please don't...I'm really...I'm afraid it won't help anything if you or Sans or anyone else gets involved,” you pleaded. The look on your face made Papyrus relax, if only a small bit.

“What are you going to do now, human?” The question had you at a loss.

“Easy. She's staying with us,” Sans interjected. You glanced over at him, positively dumbfounded. Papyrus, on the other hand, was ecstatic. Before he could get too riled up though, you had to intervene.

“I've already caused enough trouble for the both of you! I-I-I couldn't stay here!” you stammered. You had not even finished and the skeletons were shaking their head in unison.

“It's no problem, buddy.”

“Yes, absolutely no trouble at all! We are happy to help a friend in need!”

But you were insistent. How would you ever repay them for all their kindness? You already felt like you owed them so much, too much to burden themselves with your situation. So, after some more vehement denials, you finally convinced Papyrus to bring down his laptop for you to look at some hotels, the compromise being that Sans would help you get a discount. How he would, you had no idea, but he had simply winked when you asked, touching a finger to where his nose would be if he had one.

You searched around before finding a modest hotel to stay at. The rooms were not in the best condition, but it would be a good temporary fix. Now all you had to do was pay for it.

…

_There was a problem processing your transaction._

Oh. You must have put a wrong number in. Glancing over your card again, you retyped the whole thing before hitting enter.

…

_There was a problem processing your transaction._

You laughed nervously. Maybe their website was down. That was not a problem, you could just get a room at your second choice hotel.

…

_There was a problem processing your transaction._

It was in that moment that you remembered that you shared your bank account with Rory. You had your own, but had not touched it much since you had moved in together. There would not even be enough money in that account to get a burger at New-Grillby's, much less a hotel room for a few nights on short notice. Sans and Papyrus seemed to realize what was going on at much the same time as you. Papyrus stood.

“Let us go, brother.”

“Riiight behind ya, bro,” Sans muttered, on his feet as well. You looked between the two of them.

“Where are you going?”

Sans and Papyrus turned to look at you, an intense blue flame sprouting from Sans's eye socket and bones swirling around Papyrus. They responded in unison.

“ _I'm going to send him back to hell where he belongs!”_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like the new chapter! Please follow my fanfic Tumblr for updates about the story. I answer Asks and occasionally take requests, too! http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/  
> \-----  
> EDIT 10/15/17: Not so many edits this chapter, just little things here and there and a change to the last bit involving Papyrus that ended up bothering my Readers.


	9. A New Start

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone has to start somewhere.

It took some frantic coaxing to prevent the skeleton brothers from going on a rampage, but they finally relented. You understood where they were coming from, but you needed to stop them. Things were different in the human world. They could not just go and challenge Rory to a life or death fight. There were laws! There were consequences! More than anything, it was not their battle to fight. The one thing they would not budge on, however, was your living arrangement.

Sans was firm about having you stay with them. Papyrus was absolutely ecstatic at the thought of having you there for a permanent sleepover. You gently reminded him that it would not be permanent before giving in. What else were you going to do? You had no money and no one else to stay with other than the two skeletons. Sure, there was Alphys and Undyne, but they had just gotten a new place together and you did not want to spoil the mood with your presence. Besides, the thought of having to explain your situation again to somebody else again in the same day did not appeal to you.

And that was how they convinced you to move into their garage.

The skeletons had taken you out later that day to go shopping for furniture after you were fully recovered from the excitement of the morning. Papyrus gleefully flitted around the mattress department to the chagrin of the human employees, loudly explaining the subtle intricacies of each mattress to you and Sans. He was bombarding employees with questions regarding springs, memory foam, pillow toppers, and really anything else bed related he could think of.

As you trailed behind Papyrus, you gulped at the price tags. This particular furniture place was a bit more expensive and the beds could go as high as several thousand dollars. Softly, so Papyrus would not hear, you whispered that the couch was just fine and that they did not need to buy you anything. Sans had simply patted your arm and told you he would cover it. It left you a stuttering mess, but, once again, he was firm. You insisted you would pay him back. He insisted that would not be a problem.

The rest of the day was spent much the same way, where the three of you would head to a store and pick up something you needed and Sans would lay down some cash while you protested. You finally gave in and stopped arguing when he bought you a mini-fridge of all things. It seemed like he needed to help you somehow and, right then, that was with buying you thing. He bought you fresh towels, a nice bed spread, some house slippers, a new doorknob for the garage with a lock fitted with a key only for you, and some groceries. Again, you were left feeling fairly overwhelmed when your bag-laden trio finally got home in the evening time.

Papyrus cooked you some spaghetti, Sans snuck you a slice of cold pizza from the back of the fridge, and the three of you spent the rest of the night setting all of your new things up. Despite your earlier protests, it had felt good to collapse on the bed after you all put it together. You had even laughed when Papyrus flopped onto it, making you bounce, and Sans had fallen asleep on his face with his legs halfway off the bed. He had stirred when Papyrus's phone buzzed and loudly chimed Mettaton's latest song. The taller skeleton's face brightened and he bid the both of you good night as he stood and answered the call, leaving the room with a booming greeting to the robot on the other end. You eyed Sans's reaction to that, gauging his interested, but he simply sighed.

"How's all that going?" you prodded, gesturing at the door, Papyrus's voice still fairly loud even up in his room. Sans shrugged, but you could tell he did not want to go into it.

He was protective of his brother and Mettaton, apparently, had a history of being fairly intense so you could understand the worry. Papyrus had never talked about dating anyone before the robot either so to have a well-known performer for a first time relationship seemed wild to you. Well, it was not like Sans had ever mentioned being with anyone before as well and Undyne and Alphys seemed to have always been in love. Did monsters just fall for one person and that was it? Did they never just date around? You thought about Souls and how, if they were real, did that mean soulmates were real, too? It felt incredibly cheesy to have the word pop into your head. It also did not seem wise to just date the first person you fell in love with for the rest of your life, especially since monsters never seemed to get older. Although, shrinking back within yourself, you were not in a position to criticize how good people's relationships were, especially since Rory had been _your_ first love.

Turning to glance back at Sans, you saw he had drifted off again, his chest rising and falling. With Papyrus on the second level, you were given the chance to listen to the room. The garage door was creaking from the wind outside, the metal occasionally popping as it tightened and relaxed. Sans had put curtains up over the windows to give you some extra privacy, but you were trying hard to not linger on the idea of someone peering in at you. The only thing separating you from the outside sidewalk was a metal door. It was going to be hard to sleep alone, let alone in a creaky room that felt less than secure.

"Hey, you gonna be okay in here?" Sans's voice caught you off guard. How long had you been laying there staring blankly at the ceiling? You could not hear Papyrus talking anymore, probably asleep. Before you could respond, Sans sat up and gestured at the huge metal door. "If this freaks you out, you can sleep in the living room. I'll, uh, even swap beds if you want, this thing is pretty nice."

"That doesn't sound like a _bed_ idea," you said softly. Sans's pupils brightened a tick. You reassured him you would make do, but he made you promise to move into the living room or grab him if anything felt off.

You had ended up on the couch in the middle of the night, the tree outside tapping the door sending you into a panic, but you tried your best to not wake anyone up. Maybe you could wake up early enough and go back in so as not to raise suspicion. However, the next day, you woke up to see a glass of water on the table beside you and you supposed someone had found you out. No one confessed to anything at the breakfast table, but no one said anything about you sleeping on the couch either, so you appreciated that. Sans told you over cereal that Grillbz had given you some time off. You were thankful, but suspected that the skeletons had had something to do with it. Instead of dwelling on it, the day was spent with the brothers helping you set up the rest of your things in the garage and organizing their things in there, too. It was hard to stay on task, however, as Papyrus and Sans both tried their hardest to keep a smile on your face.

It was scary, but it was a start.

\-----

The first day back at the bar was hell.

Your eyes kept flitting from the patrons to the door. Would Rory show up today? Would he try to come and see you? Your hands shook as you poured out a set of shots for a crowd of monsters, spilling some onto the bar. They were understanding though. No one knew the specifics about what had happened with you, but they knew something had gone down at the concert. It was a small town and, as kind as they were, monsters loved to gossip. Everyone had heard you ran. Everyone knew you were staying with the skeletons. It was embarrassing.

Part of you wished Rory would come already. The pain of waiting anxiously for whether he would or would not show was getting to be too much. You would rather get it over with than spend the days at the restaurant agonizing over it.

“You know, you don't have to worry about anything while you're here,” came the soft voice of your boss. Pushing past the mortification of your boss knowing something was wrong, you instead raised a questioning brow at him. ”Oh, we have a new bouncer, didn't I tell you?”

When that still did not register with you, he continued, “...I pay him in hamburgers.” Ignoring the way your mouth hung open, Grillbz checked his watch. “Ah, speak of the devil, it's time for his break. Let me grab his burger so you can give it to him. Don't forget the ketchup.”

With that, Grillbz left you standing there, mouth still agape in surprise.

Of course Sans would be the one to look after you. He always seemed to be a step ahead of you when it came to that sort of thing. Still, it was yet another thing you found yourself indebted to him for. He was always going that extra mile to make sure you were doing alright.

Sans was always quick to gently chide Papyrus if his volume was getting out of control or he forgot himself in his excitement and tried to be affectionate without asking. He never slammed the door though. To Papyrus's credit, he only slipped up when he was nervous about you, trying desperately to overcompensate when he was unsure what to do to comfort you.

There were days after you moved in that you would forget to eat, you were so preoccupied with everything happening in your head. Sometimes you would forget to shower or change out of your pajamas until one of the brothers said something about it. At first, you were apathetic. You were more concerned about how you were burdening them. It took a lot of talking before they would let you do some chores around the house, your argument being that you needed to take your mind off of things. School was daunting and work was, even now as you stood in the bar with Sans safely guarding the outside, a frightening and draining task.

Not only that, in the few days where you were not working, Undyne and Alphys had stopped by to find out what was going on. If you thought the skeletons were hard to talk down, Undyne and, surprisingly, Alphys's anger was a whole other animal altogether. You had actually cried while Sans and Papyrus glared disapprovingly at the pair.

You were stirred from your thoughts when Grillbz set the burger down on the bar in front of you, the clinking of the plate and glass bottle of ketchup making you jump. He patted your shoulder gently before pointing at the door. You nodded and carried the food outside. Sitting on a stool a little ways away from the door was Sans.

He was leaning against the building, balanced precariously on one leg of the stool. He had a book open in his lap. As you waved your hand, prepared to call out a greeting, you paused and really looked at him.

San's chest was heaving slowly, a small trickle of bright blue drool dribbling from the corner of his mouth. When you stepped closer, he startled you with a sharp snore.

He was asleep.

You sighed, but did not try to wake him. Instead, you set the burger down beside him and stood, continuing to observe him as he slept.

This happened quite often when you were home with him. You would find him sitting somewhere, a book in his lap, and deep asleep. Curiously, whenever you asked him about it, he said he was fine and would quickly change he topic to how you were doing instead. Other times, he would cite one of his many jobs as the reason why he was always so “ _bone-tired_ ”.

He never gave you a straight answer when you asked him about what kind of work he did. Glancing at the book in his lap, you saw that it was titled “101 Rib-Ticklers for You and Your Friends”. Perhaps Sans was a comedian?

Even though he was supposed to be working, you did not want to disturb him since it seemed like he needed the rest. Whatever he was doing when he was not around the house seemed to be keeping im awake and preoccupied. You were concerned the book would fall out of his lap and he would be woken up by it. Taking it out of his lap, you could not help but peek inside.

Instead of being greeted with some of Sans's terrible* (*” _rib-tickling_ ”) puns, you saw there was another book tucked into the pages. It was open and, glancing across it, you realized that it was talking about some fairly sophisticated physics. Suddenly, a hand on your wrist made you squeak in surprise. Looking up, you saw the hand was connected to Sans. He was sweating.

“H-Hey, buddy. Sorry about that. Mind, uh...giving that back?” His eyes shifted pointedly to the book in your hands. You snapped it shut before giving it to him, face flushing in embarrassment.

“Sorry. Aw man, and I was trying _not_ to wake you,” you said, forcing out a laugh. Sans had let go of you to tuck the book somewhere into the vast expanse of his blue jacket. You looked down at your feet. “I just...I was curious about what you were reading. You seem to read a lot. You...You enjoy physics?” Sans stiffened, his smile a little strained, before the look was gone.

“Not really.”

“Oh. S-Sorry...”

Before the awkwardness and confusion could settle into you properly, you heard the gentle tap of all three of the stool's feet hit the concrete as Sans stood up to stretch. He turned away to grab the abandoned burger off the ground and drown it in ketchup.

“Don't worry about it, pal. I'm a skeleton, you can't exactly _get under my skin_.” You laughed, thankful for the escape he had given you from the sticky situation. Still, you wanted to give him some space. You were not sure why, but you felt you had bothered him.

Waving at him as you went back into the restaurant, Sans returned your smile with a giant grin of his own. He watched you until the door clicked shut behind you. With you safely out of the way, he turned his eyes back to the street, glaring across the way.

Someone shuffled backwards into the shadows and Sans could hear footsteps hurrying away.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for enjoying this story. I know a lot of people wanted Rory to get dunked on, but I really did not feel like Reader would let that happen, so I'm sorry about that! ;v; Please forgive me! But I promise, this is NOT the last we've heard of him.
> 
> Follow my fanfic Tumblr for updates about the story. I answer questions and take requests of all kinds! http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/  
> \-----  
> EDIT 10/15/2017: Added some extra stuff to this chapter. I'm enjoying bulking out some of these parts, adding things that I'd thought about for a long time. Hopefully it improves the flow of the story and hopefully the people who are rereading this are enjoying the revisions.
> 
> LINKS:  
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/GhostieNaps) // [Personal Tumblr](http://ghostnappalie.tumblr.com/) // [Writing Tumblr](http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/) // [Art Tumblr](https://ghostnappaliesartblog.tumblr.com/)


	10. Some Time With Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A party and a sleepover. You deserve some fun!

You were less jumpy as the days went by, more at ease with the new routine you found yourself in. You would wake up and clean around the house. If you were early enough, you would make something for breakfast. Depending on your mood, it ranged from anything between frozen waffles and homemade muffins and a pot of coffee. Sans and Papyrus were appreciative no matter what you put in front of them and ate it with reckless abandon. You often wondered how they were able to eat, being skeletons and all. Papyrus was incredibly thin yet food disappeared inside his mouth when he swallowed and Sans never opened his teeth. There was one time Sans had caught you staring as he was preparing to eat and instead he just smeared the pancake on his fork against his grin. You were so shocked, you almost fell over laughing.

After breakfast, depending on the day, the three of you would part ways. Papyrus told you that he would go to work at the King's royal offices as Head Guard. Despite the general concern regarding the monsters, the human government was admittedly rather dismissive of the royalty from the Underground, but that did not mean the monsters had ever stopped respecting the King and Queen. Papyrus even told you that he worked closely with the Human Ambassador, Frisk, saying he had known them since they were a child. He bragged they had once asked him out on a date, but he had to decline. However, they became good friends despite the, in Papyrus's words, "heartbreak" (“Because I am just that good!”).

Sans, on the other hand, was more tight-lipped about his day-to-day activities, despite having no lips to keep tight. He was always working at New-Grillby's whenever you were on shift, but there were days where he would go off on his own, sometimes not returning until incredibly late at night. You had caught him asleep at the kitchen table more than once, that same joke book beside him, always open to the physics book hidden within. It had happened often enough that you finally noticed how old the physics book appeared, pages yellowed and dog-eared with reckless abandon. There were even hand drawn symbols throughout, but you could not make any sense of it. Was it a code or was Sans's handwriting that bad? You never tried to touch the book again though, remembering how perturbed he had seemed when he had caught you looking at it before. Papyrus knew nothing about the book when you had asked and had also seemed a little nervous whenever you brought it up.

Guilt gnawed at you when you found yourself trying to understand the book over Sans's rising and falling shoulders. It was an invasion of privacy and, if he did not want to talk about it, you would just have to deal with it. Instead of dwelling on it, you often would silently toss a blanket over Sans. Sometimes he would simply snore and grin in his sleep. Other times he would wake up, eyes flashing and his hand scrabbling to clutch at the book. Whenever he _would_ wake up, you would make him coffee and sit with him, chatting about your day, pretending not to notice his anxiety surround the book. You were curious about the apparent need for secrecy, but you tried not let it bother you. You enjoyed the quiet moments where coffee would disappear out of his cup and you could get him to laugh despite the exhaustion and unspoken worry in his eyes.

So the days melted into weeks and the weeks into months, before it was almost a year after your breakup with Rory. You would be lying if you said you were not still concerned about a reappearance from him, but you found yourself worrying less and less. Progress in terms of healing was slow going, but it was progress all the same. You were finally at the point that Papyrus could surprise you with a hug and you would not flinch away and the occasional loud noise would not send you into a blind panic.

In fact, it was to the sound of loud party poppers that you found yourself laughing and clapping. Undyne and Alphys had come over to the skeletons' home to celebrate with the three of you after finally deciding your college major.

It had taken some time, but you felt that Psychology was what really spoke to you. Even though you had trouble with some of the terminology involved and you were concerned about the kind of work you would get as the result of such a major, you felt it was right. It suited you to learn about those sorts of things. Part of you thought that maybe it would help you learn more about what was going on within yourself, too. Not to mention, the thought of one day helping others who might have been in a similar situation as you left you feeling full of pride.

There was a huge platter of spaghetti in the middle of the table that looked less burnt than usual and Sans had even prepared some cookies. They were the pre-made frozen kind, but you appreciated the effort that went into them regardless. Alphys and Undyne had brought the party favors, large tin balloons and, of course, party poppers and horns. It seemed like too much to you, your quarter was not even starting until the Spring time, but everyone had insisted. They understood how much the uncertainty of college had been bothering you. So, as Undyne lifted you up to sit on her arm like a large, awkward parrot, you tried to quiet some of the embarrassment wriggling in your chest about the whole thing.

“So! What else do you wanna do tonight, huh?!” Undyne boomed, still holding you up inn the air. You shrugged.

“This was all so nice, I-I really don't know what else there is to do honestly,” you said. “I just want to thank all of you for your wonderful support. I-I know I haven't been the easiest person to be around lately-” You hurried on as they each protested. “-so really...thank you. I'm just so happy to have such amazing friends like you.”

Looking over the group as they cheered, your eyes locked onto Sans grinning up at you. You owed so much of your new-found strength to everyone, but Sans especially. How many nights had the two of you stayed up talking about every little thing? How many times had he surprised you on campus to walk you home? How often had he refused your money, despite you working regularly again? As he threw a wink at you, you could not help but giggle, hiding it behind your hand. How many times had he made you smile on days you had felt you could not keep going on? Yes, he was an amazing friend.

Yet...

Your mind wandered back to his sleepless nights and mysterious ways. Were you being as good a friend to him as he was to you? There was obviously something on his mind, but he refused to tell you. Maybe he just did not want to worry you about it. But...maybe he just did not trust you enough. It was not like you would press too hard when he would clam up. Maybe he wanted you to? You tried to spend time with him when you noticed he was looking especially down, but was that really enough?

You did not notice Undyne looking between your now-forced smile and Sans's own grin. At least, not until you felt her shift her arms to carry you under her elbow like a sack of potatoes. You yelped.

“We! Are having! A mandatory! Sleepover!!!” Undyne announced. Everyone was too shocked to register what she had said before she had scooped Alphys under her other arm.

“U-U-U-Undyne-?!” Alphys squeaked, but she went quiet as Undyne turned on her heel, kicked open the front door of Sans's and Papyrus's home, and started jogging away.

The two skeletons left behind were silent before Papyrus piped up.

“Well! That was certainly unexpected!”

“You're _patelling_ me.”

“SANS.”

\-----

It was only when Alphys had suggested that the three of you change into pajamas that Undyne realized she had forgotten to grab clothes for you in her hurry to leave the skeletons' home. She offered you a spare shirt of hers, a sheepish expression on her face and red tinting her fins on the sides of her head. The shirt was over-sized on Undyne, but you were about a head shorter than her so the shirt practically engulfed you. Swimming in fabric, you laid beside them on the carpet of their living room with the TV on an anime none of you were actually watching. Instead, you found yourself trapped under their knowing gazes.

“Um...Is there some reason why we're having this sleepover?” you asked, trying to relieve the tension in the room. The two girlfriends giggled before Alphys finally responded.

“Undyne and I were curious to know if you were thinking about...dating again?”

The question completely blindsided you. There were times where the girls would talk to you about situations and customs they had read about when it came to human socialization, it was probably why the party had been sort of cliché in its execution, but this was a different event altogether. Maybe they had read some dumb tween sleepover guidebook where one of the steps to having a good time was to talk about your crushes or something? That made sense. At the back of your mind, you could almost hear Rory's voice talking about “cross-species lesbian threesomes” and it made you laugh. Realizing they were serious about the question though, as they watched you and waited, your giggles turned nervous. Still, you decided to humour them and answered.

“I'm not sure...? I mean has it even been long enough for me to start dating someone else?”

Alphys rubbed her chin and squinted in thought.

“How would we determine something like that?”

Undyne, however, rolled her eyes.

“There isn't a time limit to that sort of junk. Listen, you're over that Rory asshole, right? And he hasn't tried to come crawling back or anything? So, I say, if you're in a good enough place, you should totally get to smooching someone new!” She flung an arm over Alphys's shoulders and tugged her close. “I don't wanna say everyone should be dating or anything, but it's certainly made me happy being with this huge nerd!” Alphys just blushed and covered her face.

“I mean, I guess? I wouldn't mind dating somebody else, but I have no idea _who_ I-” You withered under their combined stares. “Wh-What? You guys have _got_ to stop doing that.”

“A-Are you being serious...?”

“Do you think I'd drag you over here and ask you about this stuff if I didn't know who it was you had the hots for, kid?”

You were genuinely drawing a blank.

“You _really_ can't think of _anyone_ in your life right now who holds a super special unique place in your heart?” Alphys prodded. “Nobody you spend a lot of time with or talk to who you are very clearly crushing on-” Undyne cut in.

“ _Sans_ , you dope!”

There was a beat where you could only blink in silence. Then you tilted your head in confusion, heat rushing up your neck.

“I don't-! Are you guys-?! S-Sans?!” you stuttered. The thought of it made a knot form in your stomach. You and Sans? Dating? You pressed your palms against your tingling cheeks. “He's just a really good friend, you guys, c'mon!” Undyne and Alphys exchanged a knowing look, making you feel your face grow even more red. “We don't do anything else different than what I do with you guys or even with Papyrus!”

“When have you stayed up late with us to talk about what's on your mind?”

“That's not-”

“We don't exactly hold hands too often either.”

“Okay, but still-”

“And Paps is...well, Paps.”

“Wait a second-”

Undyne pressed a finger to your mouth to hush you.

“Look, dude, it's pretty clear he has feelings for you, too.” She ignored your spluttering and turned to Alphys. “How can we get her to see how she really feels about that bonehead?” Alphys had started to shrug, but suddenly her eyes lit up in excitement. Undyne seemed to come to the same realization as they both cried out in unison.

“Let's roleplay!” “Obviously, let's roleplay!”

"I'll go first! I am clearly the master of romance here!" Undyne asserted.

You and Alphys exchanged a look before Undyne squared her shoulders and cleared her throat. It took a moment for you to realize what was coming before it just came spilling out of her. Her voice came out deep and you immediately understood that she was trying to imitate Sans's tone and cadence.

“Yo girl, you're, uh, one hot hotbaby, wanna smack lips?”

The combination of Undyne's impression and the hilarity of what she had said made you bark out a horrendous laugh. You could not help it. She had even punctuated her words by pointing at you and winking. Well, winking as best she could with an eye patch. The thought still came across and it had both you and Alphys rolling.

It took a moment for the three of you to compose yourselves after that display. It was only after Undyne gave another sheepish grin that Alphys took up the slack. She, too, felt the need to try and emulate Sans's voice and mannerisms.

“You really know how to, uh,... _rattle my bones_.”

She wiggled her eyebrows at you and your laughter surged out of your throat yet again. This time, though, since it sounded more like something Sans would actually say, you felt heat blooming anew across your face. The girls took notice, Undyne pointing an accusatory finger at your reddening cheeks. Your could only shake your head, unable to force any denials past your giggles.

The night continued along in much the same way, with Alphys and Undyne trading off roleplaying as Sans. You laughed until your chest hurt and you were red from head to toe. You were not sure if you appreciated being teased so much over something you had trouble seeing, but you did not mind. Everyone was having a good time. You needed the smiles.

Finally, after exhausting every pun, joke, and horrendous pick-up line, they stopped their relentless torment. Well, only a little. The movie they had chose to fall asleep to was some kind of K-Drama where the princess falls in love with an ogre. Undyne gave you a playful shove.

“Hey, it's you and Sans!”

Monster or not, you were not sure if Sans would enjoy being compared to an ogre. The thought of his expression to such a claim made you laugh. Still, in the ending scenes where the ogre proclaimed his love for the princess, you were enraptured.

“I am prepared to denounce my own kind and spend the rest of my years enjoying your loving embrace! I am willing to live and die by your side, till I am naught but dust, my princess!” the ogre bellowed. The princess, as well as the three of you, were positively beside yourselves with emotion. The movie ended on a bittersweet note, with the pair living in a secluded cottage, shunned by both humans and monsters, but happy nonetheless.

As you curled up with the two monsters in the nest of blankets the three of you had made, your mind wandered back to what Undyne and Alphys were trying to push. It was clear they enjoyed shipping people, real and imaginary, but you almost appreciated their urging. While you were uncertain about dating anyone just yet, you knew you wanted to again in the future. Unbidden, Sans popped into you head, flashing a wink at you. You flushed.

You would be lying if you thought you could not see it. You could definitely see yourself dating him once you were more ready, once you were in a better place. At the same time, though...if he was dealing with problems of his own, would he be ready to be with you? Would he even _want_ to be with you? It was clear there were still things he did not want to talk about, but you were determined to help him. It was a lot of hypothetical questions that you honestly did not want to get into at the moment. You were not even sure if you really felt that way about him to begin with, even thought there was no denying he would be a great boyfriend. Instead, you decided you wanted to focus more on getting better and helping him feel better, too. You wanted to know more about what was going on with him.

Before anything else, you were his friend.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the party and sleepover take place about a year after the events of the break up. Even so, I don't want to rush any sort of romantic thing yet as Sans and Reader still have a lot of things they need to do to be in a better place. Thank you everyone who suggested and voted for Psychology during the poll this weekend! Your continued love and support really makes YDM fun. c:
> 
> Please follow my fanfic Tumblr for updates about the story and my life. I'll be posting a new audio update tonight to give you all a fresh run-down of my plans for the next few weeks, so please listen to that! http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/  
> \-----  
> EDIT 10/16/2017: I love this chapter so much, I barely touched it. Fixed some grammar here and there.
> 
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/GhostieNaps) // [Personal Tumblr](http://ghostnappalie.tumblr.com/) // [Writing Tumblr](http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/) // [Art Tumblr](https://ghostnappaliesartblog.tumblr.com/)


	11. Concern

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter bounces around in terms of perspective, but it remains omniscient. It returns to Reader's perspective towards the end.

Sans always had to stop and admire the house Alphys and Undyne managed to snag despite the hesitance of the human realtors in the area that were concerned about the encroaching monster population ruining property value. While he was glad to have found a place so similar to the home he and Papyrus had shared Underground, simply because change was still unsettling to him, he would not have minded so much if they had ended up in a place like theirs. The grounds were spacious and green and the house had two stories with lots of windows. In one of the windows he could see through to where Undyne's piano sat in the study. Inside that room, Sans knew that Undyne would practice her music and Alphys would read and write to the gentle sounds of plinking keys. Recently, she had even started taking up music herself and had bought a saxophone to join in. Despite her protests to the contrary, she was starting to get good at it.

In so many ways, he was envious of them. No matter what timeline they ended up in, their love transcended time and space. They always felt the same towards each other. He supposed it made sense. Alphys was always so passionate and Undyne was hardly the type to be denied what her heart wanted. Maybe they just loved each other with so much fire and determination that, despite the Resets, their SOULs stayed connected. Despite his own thoughts on it, the concept of monsters having soulmates was not a farfetched one. For Sans, it had never been that way. Maybe it was because he had let his own determination slide. He could not help it. When things got taken away again and again, it was hard to keep up hope or let himself feel connected to anything. It had been years since Frisk had freed them all, but he still worried that he would wake up at his post Underground just outside of Snowdin all over again.

He shook the unbidden thought off and knocked against the front door. He heard shuffling from within before Undyne flung it open.

“Well, well, well! You're up pretty early, Sans! Come to take the dweeb home?” Undyne leaned against the door frame and crossed her arms before chuckling. “I'm afraid you're too late. You see...” She paused dramatically. “They're madly in love with not just me (because who wouldn't be, c'mon), but Alphys, too! We're all going to band together and be the first human/monster lesbian band of brigands and there's nothing you can do to stop us!”

Sans shrugged. “Sounds fun. Can I join?”

“Are you a lesbian or a brigand?! No! No skeletons allowed!”

“Aw, c'mon. Throw me a _bone_ here.”

“ _Especially_ no skeletons that make terrible puns!! Ngahhhhh!!!”

All the commotion must have woken up the others because Sans saw Alphys and you groggily take up a spot on either side of Undyne. Being the gentle-skeleton that he was, Sans kept his focus off of your bare legs, instead watching you yawn and rub the sleep from your eyes. That did very little to help the sweat form on his skull as your expression and disheveled hair was just too...cute. He always chastised himself when thoughts like that came to mind, but when you smiled at him, he could not help it.

“Hey Sans, come to walk me home?” you asked. You had half expected this to happen, but it was always a pleasant surprise regardless. Sans, however, shook his head.

“Not right now, pal.” When you failed to understand what he meant, Sans tugged at one of his enormous sleeves and gestured at his watch. Since when did he wear a watch? “It's, uh, the weekend, right? Don't you have to go to work soon?”

Sans watched the words sink into all three of you before your hands flew up to tangle into your hair.

“Oh shit, you're right! I don't have any-” You paused as Sans handed you a wad of clothes. It was your uniform. You could only respond with an inarticulate squeal of gratitude and ran off to get changed. Undyne rubbed at the back of her neck.

“Ah, jeez, I probably should've thought about that, huh?”

Alphys, on the other hand, was leveling a smug look at Sans, making him shift uncomfortably. If he had not already been sweating enough.

“You walk her home a lot, huh?” she prodded. Sans's easy grin did little to mask the nervous laugh that huffed out of him.

“Uh, yeah, I guess I do? What're friends for, right? Just helping her out.”

Sans was not an idiot and he knew neither were they. Each of them, both separately and together, had come to him about you before and he had done his best to fend off their questions. Thankfully, before either of them could say anything else, you reemerged from behind Undyne and Alphys in your uniform, hurriedly tying your hair back and almost stumbling over your shoelaces.

“Thank you so much for having me over you guys, it was really fun! Now let's go, Sans! There's no way I'm going to make it on time.” You had bent down to fumble your laces into a knot when the thought popped into your head. “Ah! Why don't you just use your magic to take us there?”

“Pffft, what kind of magic could Sans have that could get you to work faster, kid? The guy just knows how to throw bones around,” Undyne scoffed. Alphys, however, looked away. Sans refused to meet her eye and was grateful that she did not say anything. The scientist tugged at her girlfriend's arm, making Undyne look down. She was about to continue when she noticed the look she was giving her before backing off. “Ah, forget it. Hurry up and get to work, you punk!” Undyne said, giving you a ceremonious shove.

“O-Okay!” you stuttered as you stumbled out the door. Turning back with a final wave to the pair in the doorway, you made to talk to Sans but realized he was already on his way down the sidewalk. Hurrying to catch up with him, you quickly matched his stride.

“Why can't we use your magic, Sans?”

“It's for emergencies only, pal. Sorry.” His reply was curt, but you could not help the curiosity surging through you.

“Why?”

“It's dangerous. I don't like using it,” Sans said, still walking, still not looking at you. “Every time I use that magic, there's a chance that...Well, uh...Listen, buddy, it's pretty heavy stuff. I don't think we should talk about it right before we get to work, y'know?”

He was doing it again, telling you a half-truth to shut down questions. He could see on your face that you did not buy his dismissal nor did you like that he was shutting you out. The grudging acceptance that washed over your features made him feel awful, but it was necessary, for his sake and yours. It was better for everyone if you just forgot about it.

“A-Alright.”

\-----

You had arrived late to work, but Grillbz seemed understanding. Sans took up his usual spot on the stool at the door while you rushed inside in a flurry of panic and apologies. When the door clicked shut behind you, he pulled the book out from the confines of his jacket. Flipping it open to the physics book inside, he sighed.

There had to be some way he could get a happy ending for everyone. He could not let the way he felt about you get in the way of what he might need to do to ensure things went smoothly with what he was planning. There was no guarantee that the timeline would not be affected and he had no idea if you would still be there if he had to do it all over again. It was better for everyone that he take it on by himself as he had always done, not even confiding in Frisk. He was not sure how he was going to do it, but he had to try.

Sans still had regrets of his own, things that he wished he could change so that he might be living peacefully alongside the only other person who had made him feel special. The person that he had let down. The person he had let disappear because of his stupid fears. The person who should have been there, on the surface, with him to experience the beauty of a _real_ night sky. More than anything, he had wanted you to meet them, too.

Something shuffled in the alley across the way making his eyes flash up. It had happened almost every night you were working.

But no one was there.

\-----

“He's looking even more pathetic than usual,” the voice said. “Come on, can't we do something about him _now_?”

“No, not yet. This is getting pretty interesting. I want to see how this all turns out.”

“I agreed to help you if you would help me, what are we _waiting_ for? With your power and my SOUL we could-”

“You _idiot_. Do you really think we can take him on like this? We need more SOULs. Don't you remember the beach?”

“Of course I do. Ugh. I'm getting sick of all this waiting around. I want to see him suffer.”

“Patience, buddy! I'm just as eager as you are, but believe me, when the time is right, he _will_ suffer.”

\-----

It was the same routine at work, pouring drinks and making small talk, but you felt yourself get distracted again and again. Sans was still refusing to talk to you about what was going on with him. It seemed like no one else knew the power he was capable of. Why was it dangerous to use his power? You were startled out of your thoughts by the cold feeling of beer spilling all over your hand. You had overfilled the glass you were pouring out from the tap and it had gotten all over you. You really needed to stop thinking about it, it was affecting your day to day. Now you had to deal with smelling like beer for the rest of the night.

“Something on your mind?”

The sudden appearance of Grillbz to your right made you jump, sloshing even more beer on yourself. Cursing softly, you set the glass down with an apologetic look to the waiting human before rounding on your boss. The guy just shrug and dropped some coins in your tip jar, leaving you to talk with Grillby.

“Yeah, I'm just worried about Sans right now. He's been acting really weird lately and I don't know how to help him out. He won't...talk to me,” you mumbled. Grillbz hummed thoughtfully, but offered no advice. “You've known him for a long time, right? Has he always been this way?” He turned away and set to rubbing at a glass with a rag for no reason.

“Listen, kid, I don't like to gossip. Feels kind of sneaky, you know?” You felt your ears grow hot with indignation.

"I'm not being sneaky!"

"He won't tell you what's wrong and you're asking me, your boss mind you, about it when he's sitting right out there."

“I just want to help him with whatever he's going through!” you insisted. Grillbz did not respond. “Don't you want to help him? Isn't Sans your friend?” The flames on top of Grillbz head swirled and sparked.

“Of course I do, kid, and he isn't _just_ my friend,” he grumbled. "I've been alive for years before you were born, all us monsters have, and we've gotten used to fighting our demons ourselves. You gotta remember that."

That made you flush with embarrassment and mutter an apology at your feet. He adjusted his glasses, regarding your thoroughly contrite expression. Grillby's flames subsided and you saw a huff of smoke wisp away from were his mouth would have been. He set the cup down, pulling out his wallet in the same motion. It was old and frayed at the edges, stuffed full of cards and pictures, but he pulled up the first one he had and slid it across the counter at you. It was an old photo of Sans and Papyrus, but, to your surprise, they looked very young, with Papyrus actually shorter than Sans. When you looked back up at Grillbz, he had started on another glass.

“I've known him and his brother since they were baby bones. Sans and Papyrus just showed up in Snowdin one day, no parents or anything. They looked terrible. Papyrus was a sobbing mess and Sans...It looked like he had gotten hurt. How could I not take them in? So I set them up at my place in Snowdin, watched over them until they were old enough to take care of themselves. They never told me how they got there even when I asked about it. I doubt Paps remembers any of it on account of being so small, but Sans just clammed up when I brought it up.”

It was a lot to take in. Sans had never told you about his history. To be fair, you chided yourself, you had never asked. Were you just so self-absorbed that you only ever talked about your own problems when you were with him? You could have asked Papyrus, too, but it was also the same story. They were so busy taking care of you that you had never taken the time to take care of them, too. You had known them for so long and yet, now, it felt like you hardly knew a thing.

“Sans is...Sans is a good kid, but he likes to keep to himself.” He turned to you, patting a hand to your shoulder. “He won't talk to me about it. He won't even talk to Papyrus about it. We don't have to like it, but I think...he'd prefer to deal with whatever he's dealing with on his own.”

The gentle warmth of Grillbz hand on your shoulder stirred your from your self-loathing. It took you a moment to realize that tears were stinging at your eyes. You rushed to rub them away in embarrassment.

“Listen, kid...Sans and Papyrus really care about you. The fact that you care about them, too, is probably more help to them than you realize,” Grillbz said, giving your shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Just keep being a good friend to them. Things will work out.”

\-----

Stepping out into the cold evening after your shift was over, you turned to see Sans was beginning to doze, but had stood up when he saw you.

“Hey, pal, we free to go? I am ready to get out of this wind and back home. The breeze is just _going right through me_.” He paused while he waited for your usual chuckle to follow his joke, but you just stood there. He laughed nervously. “Y'know, cause I'm, uh, a skeleton?” He faltered, but before he could continue, you gently took a hold of his hand.

“We need to talk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a little confusing to write, but I wanted to write from Sans's perspective for it. It's clear that there's some things he's dealing with that I hope to touch on in the next few chapters.
> 
> As always, updates and info can be found on my fanfic Tumblr: http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/
> 
> I've also started a Patreon. My stories will remain free to read, but if you'd like to support me as I continue pursuing my passion in writing, please consider becoming a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/MadamMerlise?ty=h  
> \-----  
> EDIT 10/16/2017: That Patreon has long since been closed now, but I'm still so appreciative of the people who did support me while it was running. It's so wild to me that people paid me money to write about dating a video game skeleton man and that so many people were sad that I stopped updating, not only this fic, but just all my fics in general.
> 
> LINKS:  
> [Twitter](https://twitter.com/GhostieNaps) // [Personal Tumblr](http://ghostnappalie.tumblr.com/) // [Writing Tumblr](http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/) // [Art Tumblr](https://ghostnappaliesartblog.tumblr.com/)


	12. Dr. W. D. Gaster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The genius who was lost to time.

You were back at the park where the two of you had spoken all that time ago. The tree you had hidden under as you cried and confessed to Sans about all the hardship you were going through was still the same, tall and dark in the night. The branches creaked in the wind. It felt appropriate to now go back there to talk with Sans about what was on his mind.

The walk over had been silent. He had seemed reluctant at first, but agreed to talk with you if that was what you wanted. You both kept your eyes to the ground, trying to figure out what to say when the moment came. Now you were there, under the tree, and the words you had thought up along the way seemed to vanish. So, instead, you sat there beside Sans and stared at your feet. Maybe this had been a bad idea. You had no idea where to start. He cleared his throat and you saw that he was watching you out of the corner of his eye.

“Hey, uh...thanks for...worrying about me, buddy,” he mumbled.

You had moved to place your hand atop his before Undyne and Alphys's words sprang to your mind. Apparently you could not platonically hold hands with Sans? It felt silly. You took his hand anyway. The words were still not coming, but you wanted to offer him the reassurance of your presence. You were committed to being a support for him in any way you could.

His fingers laced with yours as he gave an appreciative hum, although you noticed the hesitance in the motion. You watched the emotion in his eyes shift and change as he looked down at your hands. You squeezed at his palm to get him to meet your gaze. You wanted him to talk to you after all, maybe you could coax him into a better starting point for the both of you.

He just sighed, making his ribs creak. He looked so tired, absolutely exhausted with whatever it was that was on his mind. In moments like this, when he was being more honest about how he truly felt, Sans gave off this air that he held the wisdom of many years inside him. It seemed to weigh him down. There was almost a look of great age to him, shown only in the many creases and scuffs in his bones. How did age even _work_ for monsters? You tried not to think about it.

“Grillbz told me that he raised you and Papyrus,” you finally said. It was a clumsy start, but a start nonetheless, especially since it seemed like he was not going to make it easy for you. Sans's grin eased into something more pleasant regardless.

“Yeah. Grillbz is a good guy. Papyrus and I had lived at the capital when he was a kid and I was just growing into my skull. When we...had to leave, I was still...I wasn't a very good, uh...” Sans seemed to falter. “Listen, I'm a good brother, but I couldn't take care of a little kid on my own, y'know? Grillbz was a life saver, he took real good care of us. I owe him a lot.”

“You didn't have any family to go to? How did you know about Grillbz?” you questioned. Sweat began to roll down Sans's skull and he shrugged.

“It's, uh...It's complicated, buddy. A _bone-afide_ brain teaser.” You set your mouth in a hard line, trying to show that you were not about to be thrown off with his puns again. He seemed to take the hint, but still was reluctant. "It, uh...It's a lot, okay? You wouldn't get it."

“Try me. Maybe I can understand.”

“Oh yeah? And what if you don't?” Sans shot back. “What if...What if I tell you all this a-and you _still_ don't get it? What if I tell you and you can't do anything about it? What if _I_ can't even do anything about it?” His tone had soured and you felt the hot wash of shame tug at you, a part of you having doubts about this whole encounter, but you were determined to know. You feigned calm and shrugged back.

“Then I don't get it, but you'll have at least talked about it and that's better than being tired all of the time. Neither of us will know if you don't at least try to talk this through though.” When he still hesitated, you gripped his hand even tighter. “Please, Sans, I'm right here. I'll always be right here for you like you've been for me. Let me at least try to be the kind of friend you've been to me, the kind of friend you _deserve_. What's wrong?”

Sans's eyes were trained on your face, searching your expression. You could tell he wanted to argue with you, to tell you that you were a perfectly fine friend and that you should not worry about him. You knew he wanted to say that he was fine even though you both knew he was lying. Instead, he leaned back against the tree and shut his eyes. You almost started to continue pressing him before he spoke up again.

“My dad...He was the Royal Scientist. I never knew my mom, so I just...I was, uh, really close to my dad." The words seemed to stick in his teeth as his chest creaked, almost as though he was straining to share anything with you. Patiently, you let him catch his breath. "Well, for some reason, he...he thought he saw something in me, y'know? I was young by monster standards so I felt...felt pretty proud, heh. When your dad was the smartest monster around and he's patting your back at every turn, it's hard not to be. I tried to keep my cool about it, but, uh, being a skeleton, he _saw right through me._ He started taking me to work with him so we could do research together and it was just...incredible."

Sans paused there, breathing deeply again, a nostalgic look passing over his face before he continued. The next words were quieter and you had to lean in close to him to catch them all.

"Well, he, uh...he discovered something. There was a huge anomaly happening in our universe, timelines stopping and starting, and he wanted to figure out what was going on. We started to experiment with time and ways to travel through it. But he...We...” Sans's voice caught in his throat. His grip had tightened considerably around your fingers. “One day, during an experiment...something went wrong.”

\-----

**Some Time Ago**

The soft hum of machinery had become a comfort to Sans, something to break up the cold monotony of the sterile looking hallways in the lab. Alphys always seemed to find the sound grating, it was why she had moved her office upstairs, away from the beeps and buzzes of the computers. It also did not help that the lab was so far underground that it left her feeling claustrophobic. As a result, she avoided going down the elevator to the testing facilities if she could help it. Sans, on the other hand, could fall asleep at his desk to the mechanical whirring reverberating through the walls at a moment's notice. He felt bad that Alphys could not enjoy the lab, but he would have been lying if he said he did not appreciated the solitude.

A gentle knock at his door awoke him. The machinery had become a pseudo-lullaby for him, but spending nearly every waking moment at the lab also contributed to his newfound sleeping habits. Vaguely, he thought about his dad scolding him about it, but how could he go home when they were on the cusp of a new discovery? He groggily called out a greeting and tried to rub the sleep from his sockets before the door creaked open. He heard a gentle knocking sound against the doorway and recognized it immediately, spinning around in his chair to face his visitor. Sans knew he would need to watch Dr. Gaster's hands in order to understand what he was saying.

Gaster's fingers moved in a flurry, his hands making complicated signs and overexcited gestures. Sans chuckled and signed that Gaster needed to slow down in order for him to read his motions. He always was sloppy with his hands when it came to talking about anything regarding work. The doctor's eyes shut as he took a reluctant breath of air in and out before continuing, his movements still quick, but easier to understand. It seemed that Gaster felt that he had pinpointed what might be the cause of the anomaly, but wanted to do some quick tests before they did anything about it. He wanted to know if Sans would like to join him.

Now Sans understood Gaster's elation. They had been working for months without making any headway, so to hear about anything at all was cause for great excitement. He nodded vigorously and gathered up his notebooks, following Gaster out of his office and down the hall. After all the time they had spent trying to figure things out, maybe now they would be able to study the anomaly and discover new information regarding time and space. They had already discovered the existence of alternate timelines, accidentally barging in on themselves in their travels through the machine they had built. There were no negative repercussions of it aside from the initial shock of the whole debacle. It was quickly corrected and they were more careful as a result, trying hard to avoid themselves from alternate timelines and warning their alternate selves to do the same.

Sans and Gaster arrived in front of the machine in question. It towered over them and it would almost have been intimidating if they had not been the ones to build it. The machine utilized complex science and machinery as well as the all-too-important dash of SOUL magic to bind it all together in order to function. The first tests of the contraptions' capabilities were solemn and meticulous, where Gaster would go alone and document his findings. When the machine was deemed reliable though, after thorough tests that showed that they could in fact safely travel anywhere in their timeline and in others, Gaster began taking Sans along with him.

Now, closer than ever to learning more about the anomaly, Sans was ecstatic to enter the machine and take notes. The time between times was indescribable. It felt all-encompassing and dark, but Sans would be able to see Gaster beside him as they moved without resistance through the inky confines of the in between place. If anything, it felt as simple as walking a little while and coming out the other end of a tunnel. They would go in and, when they exited, they would document anything that happened. Sans paused when he saw Gaster gesture for him to take up the chair beside him.

"Shouldn't we go get Alphys?" he signed, but Gaster shook his head. He grinned at Sans, clapping him on the back and guiding him to sit in the seat that she would usually take up. Sitting beside him, he responded with a grin and some careful signs.

"I want to share this moment just with you, son. We're on the brink of something here."

Sans flushed with pride, barely managing to sign a "thanks, dad" in response as his father patted his skull with affection. Gaster turned to fiddle with some knobs while Sans began observing the readings on the screen on the machine's face. The door to the inside slid open, a hiss of steam shooting out from within. Sans and Gaster looked between each other with barely contained glee before they got up and stepped inside.

The door shut behind them as the mechanisms began to churn and chug, chittering and chiming to the beat of equations and a touch of magic. As the machine came to life, the weightless feeling enveloped them both and the dark became absolute. However, they were still able to see one another just fine. Gaster signed that the procedure should only take a moment, he simply wanted to warm the machine up and make sure everything was running smoothly before they tried to do anything regarding the anomaly. They would only jump forward in time by ten minutes, nothing too spectacular.

As Sans and Gaster moved forward through the space, Sans was once again awestruck by the total emptiness the place held. There was no sound, save for the beat of his SOUL within his rib cage. No matter where he looked, the area seemed to go on forever, seeming to have no end. There was something beautiful about it, completely black and untouched. It seemed as though they were treading somewhere forbidden. Sans, lost in thought, had not noticed that his father had stopped behind him. The void was black, but somehow, it appeared to shutter. Gaster clapped his hands together, trying to get Sans's attention.

Suddenly, as the young skeleton turned to look at his father, there was a high pitched squeal, making the skeletons clutch at their skulls. They turned to one another, confused. There was never any sounds in that place. Then, a pillar of light began to creep up on them. The doors to the machine were being opened before they were meant to. As the light grew, it touched Sans's arm with a searing heat, but he could not move. He was frozen in shock. It spread over his left side, the burning sensation penetrating deep into his bones. Sans cried out in agony, but the noise was lost to the squeal of the machine around them.

In the next moment, the pain was gone. Gaster had shoved him out of the way of the light, making Sans stagger back, clutching at his smoldering eye socket. The light engulfed Gaster as he writhed in terror and pain, his hands spasming wildly. Sans could only watch in horror as the good doctor's bones seemed to shift and twist under his lab coat.

The door slammed shut, but now the light seemed to be trapped within Gaster's sockets, making him scrabble and claw at his own face. His features  began to warp and droop, one eye sagging, while his frantic fingers tore away chunks of his skull. He screamed and screamed, the machine barely drowning him out, sharp notes of wild and blind panic that faded away into garbled nonsense as his body seemed to shift and melt. He was choking on himself.

With his magic, he summoned extra hands, maybe try to push himself back together, but they were simply covered in tar. The darkness of the void around them had begun to creep up his form until Gaster had been reduced to a skull atop a mountain of sludge, writhing in agony from his transformation. His eyes shifted to Sans's quivering form, dozens of hands reaching for his son, desperate and afraid.

Then, he was gone. Before he could process what was happening, Sans was being pulled through the tunnel. Despite his struggling, he was being forced backwards out of the machine. His body slammed into the metal doors before he fell out onto the cold tile in a heap. Alphys was standing over him. The harsh light of the lab stung his eye, but that was not why he cried out.

“Sans!”

“Put me back in, Alphys!” Sans shouted. Alphys recoiled.

“S-Sans! You're hurt! You c-c-can't-!”

“Put me back in the machine, damn it! I need to go back! I need to get Dad!”

Sans tried to stand, but he was still too weak. Time travel on its own was a strain to anyone's SOUL and he also had to deal with the pain he was feeling in his skull that bloomed out from his socket. He crumpled, but reached out to grasp at Alphys's lab coat.

“Please! Don't leave him in there!” Alphys did not know what to do, trying her best to steady Sans on his feet. “Alphys! Alphys, please! Please don't-!”

“That's enough.”

They both froze before turning to see the king at the door. He was looking between Alphys and Sans with sad and confused eyes, taking in the skeleton's appearance, before his gaze fixed firmly on the machine. He strode over to it and, before Sans could protest, he pulled at the wires, ripping them from their places. The lights flickered before the machine shut off with a deep groan. Sans yelped.

“Asgore! What are you doing?! Gaster is still- My _dad,_ he's-!”

“That's enough. Alphys, take the boy to the infirmary.” When Alphys did not move, Asgore leveled a solemn gaze at her, pleading silently that she obey his command. “I was beginning to have my doubts about this project and now Sans has been injured. Take him out of here.”

Alphys pulled at the skeleton, but he recoiled from her touch, sending himself sprawling again. His head was killing him, but that did not stop him from glaring dangerously between her and the king.

“You can't just _leave_ my dad in there, can you?!” Sans shouted. “ _Gaster_ trusted you!”

Alphys looked up at Asgore, but he turned away. Instead, she gently took Sans's hand into her shaking grip, pulling his arm over her shoulders.

“S-Sans, I'm...sorry, I don't...I-I-I don't know who you're t-talking about, but you need to c-calm down...”

Sans was struck silent, but feeling Alphys drawing him up to stand supported by her own unstable form, he pressed on.

“Alphys...This...This isn't funny. Of course you know who Gaster is. Dr. Gaster? _My dad?_ He's the one who hired you to start working on the machine!” Alphys just shook her head.

“King A-Asgore, um...He was the one wh-who asked me to come work here-”

“This isn't funny!” he repeated again. Sans was frantic, trying to turn and look at Asgore who was examining the now silent machine. The silence was unnatural, the lab had never been silent before and it only made Sans more anxious. “What's going on?! What's happening?! We need to save my dad! Let me back in there! Asgore! _Asgore!_ ”

But the king would not look at him. He did not turn even as Sans continued to scream and struggle down the echoing hallways with Alphys practically dragging him behind her. He did not move until long after Sans's agonized wails faded away into nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been writing this scene out for about a week now, I've been so excited about it. It's horrible and sad, but I'm happy with how it turned out. Sorry if it's a little rough for you.
> 
> As always, follow my fanfic Tumblr for updates about YDM. I also answer questions: http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/
> 
> If you would like to support me as I continue to try and improve my skills with writing, please consider becoming my Patron on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MadamMerlise?ty=h  
> \-----  
> EDIT 10/16/2017: Another very fun chapter, although for a completely different reason than the sleepover chapter. Gaster continues to be one of my favourite Undertale characters just because we still know so little about him. It's fun reading other stories about him and people positing about who he was and why he is what he is. So rad.
> 
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	13. I'd Miss You

The next time Sans awoke, he was laying in a clean, white room, all hard edges. The only sound was the beep of the machine that was somehow attached to him, monitoring...something. Was it his pulse? Did he have a pulse? Sans knew about science, not about any of his anatomy. He could tell which bone went where, but monster physiology was lost on him. To his credit, there was very little monsters knew about themselves that the all-encompassing answer of “magic” could not solve. People were content with not knowing. Sans found the repetitive blip of the monitor unnerving, suddenly feeling sympathetic to Alphys's complaints about the sounds in the lab.

As his thoughts focused on her, he sat up in a panic. What was he doing here? He needed to get back downstairs and rescue--

“You need to lay down.” The firm hand to his chest winded him almost as much as the voice it was attached to. Alphys had been sitting beside him and he had not realized. He tried to pry her hand off of him, but to no avail. The time travel had either severely affected Sans to the point of weakness or Alphys was stronger than she looked.

“I need to get back down there,” Sans said, letting his hands fall back to his sides.

“You _need_ to rest.”

“Alphys, do you...really not remember?” She looked away.

“No. I'm sorry. But...If you say that there was someone else in there with you-”

“My _dad_ , Alphys.”

“-I believe you,” she hurried on, speaking over him. She was always so collected when she was serious. Usually Sans would be appreciative of it, but right now, with everything so fresh, he was just annoyed with her even tone.

“Then let me back down there so I can _save_ him,” Sans ground out.

“I can't do that. The king destroyed the machine.”

Sans was dumbfounded. Then, all at once, he felt the fury rise in his chest.

“How could he leave him in there?! How could he destroy everything we all worked for?! We were so close and now Gaster is-! He's-!”

“S-Sans, you need to calm down,” Alphys stuttered out. She shrank back as Sans rounded on her. Sans was all too satisfied to finally be eliciting a reaction out of her that he simply continued on.

“Don't you tell me to calm down, damn it!”

“Sans, _please_ , you don't understand-”

“What I _understand_ is that you're just sitting here doing nothing while my dad is lying in some desolate void all alone!” Hot tears streaked down Sans's face and he hated them. He hated that he was an angry crier. “He was crying out for help and I couldn't-! I didn't-! God, I was so _stupid_ , I couldn't move! It's all my fault he got hurt. If I had just _moved_ then maybe-”

“Sans, _look_.”

Sans's eyes finally took in what was going on around them. In his anger, his magic had gone haywire, knocking over equipment and throwing files off the shelves. Papers were scattered, glass was shattered, and, in the middle of it, Alphys had gotten to her feet to grip tightly at the front of Sans's infirmary gown. Her chair was now across the room on its side. This had never happened to him before. Even at his angriest, his magic never behaved in any way that was out of the ordinary, definitely nothing like this.

Scanning the room, he caught a glimpse of himself in an overturned metal tray. Blue light was pouring out of his left eye socket. It was lashing back and forth like a flame, licking at the sides of his skull. Sans felt his breathing start to seize in his chest in panic. The monitors that were miraculously attached to him even through all the destruction started to beep more rapidly.

“What's...What's happening to me?” He pressed his palm into his socket and was met with heat. It did not burn, but it alarmed him. He scraped at the edge of his eye, willing the flames of magic to dissipate, but they persisted.

“ _This_ is why you need to c-calm down. The more emotional you get, the more your magic goes out of control,” Alphys stammered. “You almost threw me out of the elevator when I was taking you up here, but you k-kinda ended up knocking yourself out with one of the potted plants.”

Sans's breaths were shallow, he just could not calm down. The magic began to be so intense that the air crackled with energy, sending a chill up his spine. Why was this happening to him?

Unbidden, a cry of terror sprang from him, sharp and shrill. It made Alphys jump back, almost slipping on some fallen documents. Sans was completely unaware of anything outside of the oppressive pressure on his chest. Would it ever stop? Would this kill him? Is this how it ended? He heard a voice babbling in the distance, but realized that it was coming from him.

“Oh god, make it stop! Make it stop! I'm going to die! Make it st-!”

_CLANG_

Everything went black.

The swirling air stilled so suddenly, it made Alphys realize she had been holding her breath. Out of panic, she had picked up the tray and slammed it across Sans's head, knocking him out cold yet again. It may not have been the safest way to get him to snap out of it, but it had worked.

The machines kept beeping.

\-----

Sans was breathing hard beside you, taking a moment to recollect himself. You were no better, shivering as you absorbed all that he had said. While he was recounting everything, you had scooted closer to him until you were shoulder to shoulder, your hands still intertwined. He was holding onto you for dear life.

“Sans, I...” What could you say? What was there to say to that? Sans seemed to understand that you did not know because he continued.

“I spent a long time in that room. Alphys would visit me every day and try to teach me how to reign in my powers. The first few nights ended with more lumps.” He tapped his knuckles against his skull. You winced. Your eyes tried not to linger on his skull, searching for scrape that might betray his earlier outbursts.

“It was a few weeks until Asgore let me go back to our home in the capital. Seeing Papyrus again was...hard.” The word did not seem to do the pain justice. He trudged on. “He didn't remember Gaster either. And being in that house...I had to leave.”

“How old were you?” The question seemed silly, but Sans did not mind.

“Age is a weird thing for monsters. I guess, in human terms and speaking, uh, relatively, I was just done being a 'teenager'? And Papyrus was pretty much, uh, still a little kid. Wore striped pajamas and everything, heh.” The memory seemed to sour for Sans, his laugh turning into a stilted chuckle. You squeezed his fingers.

“You were so young and you just...left?” you whispered. Sans nodded.

“I remembered a place that my dad used to take us to before he got too, uh, wrapped up in all the time nonsense. We would go to Grillby's to burgers while my dad chatted up Grillbz.” Sans shrugged. “I didn't really care, to be honest with you. Anything was better than that house.”

“So we made the hike. I had to carry Papyrus a lot of the way. We made it, but I was so exhausted, I just passed out right there at the door. Grillbz told you the rest. He gave us food and a home and a new start. He didn't remember Gaster, but he remembered me.”

You were clutching at his jacket and shaking. It took a moment for you to realize that you were crying. Sans seemed to notice it, too. He pressed a bony finger to your cheek.

“You okay, pal?”

For some reason, that question was the last straw. You flung your arms around his shoulders and wept.

“Am _I_ okay? You're asking me if _I'm_ okay after all that? Sans, I...Sans, _no_ , I can't. Sans, _please_.”

You were stammering and it was frustrating, but you did not know how to say what you wanted to say properly. Instead, you let yourself sob and hold him, hoping that at least your presence was a comfort in some small way. He was surprised, but let his hands rest on your back, rubbing gentle circles to try and soothe you. Sans waited until your tears had slowed to a trickle before he spoke again.

“I'm trying to save him.”

You pushed back from him, rubbing at your eyes so you could see him properly. Sans's expression was strained, his eye sockets void of his tiny, bright pupils. He looked haunted. The creases in his brow were impossibly deep and fluid, despite the solid feel of his bones. His smile was unchanged, but it, too, seemed empty.

“That's why I don't sleep. I stay up and read and I...I try to rebuild the machine,” Sans muttered. “When Gaster disappeared, everything he had ever written disappeared with it. His notes and his books, his stupid Post-It notes he'd, uh, leave everywhere when he was being passive aggressive. It vanished. But the machine in the Underground is still there. Whatever happened to Gaster had no affect on the machine because it still exists even though it shouldn't.”

You had questions, but they all felt so juvenile. However, Sans seemed to sense you wanted to ask them anyway.

“What is it?”

“...What's stopping you? I mean, I-I understand that, without his notes, it's much harder, but you also helped build that machine, right? What's taking so long?”

Sans exhaled sharply before pushing away from you to stand up. You watched him walk a ways away before he answered.

“I'm afraid.” He turned back and you saw tears pooling in his skull, teetering dangerously close to the edges of his eye sockets. “These powers I have...My eye...It's dangerous. Every time I use it, I go back to that place. I'm worried that if I use it too much or...or stay there for too long, I'll end up like my dad. That's why I only want to use it if I know for _sure_ I'll get him back.”

You were silent. In lieu of words, you had stood to join him, again taking his hand into yours. You did not want him to feel alone.

“You know...” Sans's voice was very small. “For awhile...I wanted it to happen.” It took a second for you to understand what you had heard, but Sans was already talking again. “I wanted to disappear. Do you know what it's like to know what I do? It's...It gets to be too much. There were nights where I hadn't slept for days and I had made no headway into getting him back...Nights where I would think to myself that I could just melt away. No one would remember me. No one would hurt. It would be perfect.”

“Sans...” you whispered. He regarded you silently before shaking his head.

“...Sorry.”

“You don't need to be sorry. Just...” Sans raised a brow at you. “...I would miss you.” He snorted derisively.

“That's impossible, I wouldn't have existed for you to have met me in the first place, buddy.”

“Probably. But I would know _something_ was missing,” you insisted. Sans looked at you for a long time after that.

The wind started to pick up as the night wore on into the early morning. You shivered and leaned against him. Tugging at his hand, you nodded your head in the direction of home.

“We should go, it's freezing out here.”

Sans said nothing, but let you lead him down the sidewalk by the hand. The streets were empty and it was peaceful. You were thankful that Sans had trusted you with so much, but it still weighed heavily on your heart. You wondered if there was anything you could do to help him. Arriving at the house, you were stopped by Sans pulling at you. You turned in time to be wrapped in a hug.

“Thank you.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading the update! As always, check out my Tumblr for info about updates: http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/
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> If you'd like to support me and my writing, consider becoming a Patron to my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MadamMerlise?ty=h  
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> EDIT 10/18/2017: Tiny edits in this one!
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	14. When the Barrier Broke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter that is all flashback and all in Sans's perspective.

**The Day the Barrier Broke...**

Everyone could feel it. The kid had done it. The barrier had shattered, cracked right down the middle, before dissipating into nothingness. Frisk had said that the king and queen's dead son had had something to do with it, too, but Sans could hardly take it in. Something was building up in his chest, an emotion he could not give words to.

He clambered out of the Underground with everyone and stared off into the horizon. It seemed to never end, stretching out into a panoramic view of vivid light and colours. It was gorgeous and vast and everything he had ever dreamed it would be. He felt sick. At Papyrus's excited exclamation and quick departure, Sans saw his opportunity.

He reassured everyone that he would go keep his brother from getting into too much trouble, before heading back inside the dark caverns leading to the Underground. He traveled back through the winding hallways, hardly registering any of the commotion happening around him, keeping quiet and hidden. Monsters everywhere had felt the break and were preparing their belongings for when the king would allow them to leave. They were antsy, but many recognized the dangers a mass exodus might prove should the humans become nervous about their sudden arrival. He was glad that there was a distraction to keep anyone from noticing him. If someone were to have stopped him, he did not know what he would say.

Sans found that his feet carried him back to the lab. All of the guards had abandoned their posts, no doubt preparing to leave as well. He tried to feel happy for them, but it was a fruitless effort. With no one there to stop him, he simply walked in.

Alphys's lab felt familiar in the worst kind of way. There had been many times after he and Papyrus had left for Snowdin where he would try and sneak back down into Gaster's lab to look at the machine. The king had strongly recommended he stay away, but he needed to see the damage that had been done for himself. Alphys had been telling the truth, King Asgore had torn the wiring to shreds and it looked like he had shoved his goddamn trident into the consoles. Papers were scattered everywhere in the halls, but not a single one had any of his father's familiar writing on it.

On one of his excursions, he had been so preoccupied with studying the mechanisms inside the shattered monitors that he had been caught by Alphys. She promptly kicked him out and boosted the security, going so far as to hide the entrance to the lab. Sans could have easily just teleported down to it again, but after that fiasco, his determination was shot. Besides, he had made no headway in saving Gaster so seeing the broken machine only served as a bitter reminder of his short-comings. So he committed himself to trying to remember all he could about the machine on his own.

It had been Alphys that had come to him first, offering an apology. She still would not let him go down there, more adamant than ever, but she tried to talk to him about the incident. At first, Sans had rebuffed her, offering either the cold shoulder or angry words. How could she understand losing someone like he had? Living with the memories of someone no one else had and being unable to shake the guilt. It was not until a long time later on one of his worst days that he had reached out in return. No one else would understand, but she was the only other person who believed him and that had to mean something.

In a way, he had been thankful for the kid's Resets. It gave him more time to research the machine, gave him more chances to bring Gaster back and fix the mess that had been made since his disappearance. Sans had figured out it was Frisk and Flowey's powers that had created the anomaly in time, but his work had remained in a deadlock.

Now, with the barrier broken and the anomaly corrected, he was faced with the decision of leaving the machine behind.

Sans stared down the elevator shaft hidden in the bathroom, noting that the elevator itself was at the bottom. He teleported down without much thought for his safety. The winding halls were just the same as he remembered them. His last visit had been months ago, longer still because of the Resets, but he could remember the layout with ease. The silence was still oppressive and alien to him, but he pressed forward. He wandered back into the room with the machine.

The room was the same as before, albeit a little dusty. Alphys probably never went into it anymore. Sans did not blame her. The metal husk before him was cold and foreboding, but he approached it anyway, running his hands across the door. It was a pillar dedicated to all his failures, every mistake across every timeline. It was Gaster's tomb. In a burst of strength, he pried the doors open.

The inside was dim and empty. Without power, it was just a dark, metal box. Sans climbed in and ran his hands over all the walls, feeling every screw and edge. He remembered building the machine and his father's deft hands and calm explanations for every nut and bolt and piece of metal. He remembered some of the math and the magic needed to get it to work. He remembered the sensation of being weightless in the void. It was where he and his father had become closer than ever.

It was where Gaster had sacrificed himself to save Sans.

Sans could not take it. A strangled sob wrestled its way past his teeth. He sat inside the machine, wrapped his arms around his knees, and wept. It had been a long time since Gaster had ceased to exist, but the wounds and the guilt were still as fresh as ever. Sans could feel his eye socket begin to throb and he quieted his cries. He could not risk losing control and destroying what little there was of the machine that was left. He knew everyone would wonder where he was after awhile, but he still needed some time. He could not do it yet. He could not be happy outside the Underground knowing that Gaster was still lost.

He could not leave. Not yet.

\-----

**One Week After the Break of the Barrier...**

Sans was absolutely disgusting. He had not showered since the barrier had shattered and he was sure his clothes smelled musky and dusty. Everyone else had left the Underground besides him. Instead, he had returned to his and Papyrus's home in Snowdin and locked himself away in his room. The battery in the flashlight had burned out, leaving him to work by the light of his glowing eye. He found he was being less and less careful about using his powers. He was always exhausted. Around him lay a hodgepodge of clutter. Notes were flung about, some crumpled, others simply scribbled over in frustration. He had some old packets of chips surrounding him as well, but it had been a few days since he had last eaten. Whenever he felt hungry, he would just sleep.

Sans was no closer to getting his copy of Gaster's machine to work. He had built the room behind the house and the machine looked so similar to Gaster's, but it just would not work. He had already broken it twice that week in his rage, silently putting it back together each time. Now he hid it behind a curtain out of frustration. He had not been in that room since.

Laying in his bed, Sans stared up at the ceiling. If he stared any harder, he would burn a hole into it, and he had. He could count seven different scorch marks he had left in the textured plaster above him. Goddamn his stupid eye. Goddamn his stupid powers. They did not do anything for him to _help_ anyone. Sans stood bolt upright and leaped to his feet to pace around his room, kicking at the debris in his path. He could feel his emotions rising in him again, the unexpressed _something_ that had been lingering inside the pit of his stomach since the barrier had broken.

Gaster had sacrificed himself to save him and he could not do anything to save him. He could not help him. He was useless. Why had Gaster trusted him so much? It was clear he did not know what the hell he was doing. Why did it have to be him to make it out of there alive? If Gaster had survived, he would know what to do. If he had just _died_ in there instead--

He wanted to give up.

He stopped, the papers and plastic at his feet beginning to swirl. Sans felt his eye begin to throb, but he swallowed back against the dull throb in his skull.

He could do it.

He could give up.

He could disappear just like Gaster. He could just teleport and stay in that dark space between everything, all alone, until his eye consumed him and he melted away, along with any memories anyone had about him. No one would suffer for him because he would have never existed. Maybe he would die alone like he deserved. Maybe he would find Gaster out there in the darkness. They could go mad together forever. God knows he had been going mad out in the real world.

There was a gentle tap at his door, making Sans jump. His breath caught in his throat as he saw the mess he had made, willing his magic to calm down, before he approached the door. He did not speak, he simply listened.

“Brother...? Are you in there?”

It was Papyrus. Of course it was Papyrus. Sans had half expected this, although in some self-deprecating kind of way he wondered why it had taken a week for his brother to notice his absence. He did not blame him. Sans would often disappear for days at a time and he had told Papyrus to stop worrying about it for long enough that his brother had actually started to believe him. Still, his brother had come to get him.

He shook his dark thoughts out of his head. Sans could not leave his brother to fend for himself. Even if Papyrus would not remember him, could Sans do that to him? There was the niggling thought at the back of his mind that he was saying that simply for his own sake, that he mattered more than he truly did, but it was enough for him to open the door.

“Hey, bro...I'm here.”

\-----

**Years Later...**

Sans could tell that you were a Reader. Their timeline's Player had been replaced with you after their “game” was “finished”. He could recognize that familiar air about you. He had seen other Players and Readers from different timelines in his travels with Gaster. There was always something about a Reader that made people drawn to them.

It had been about a week since he had last gone to New-Grillby's so he figured that you must have been hired on in his absence to work the bar. What a cliché set up for a story. Still, what was there much to lose from talking with you? You existed to be talked to and you worked there so it was clear he would have to talk to you eventually. You seemed nervous as he approached. Made sense if you had only just started working there. You fiddled with your hands as Sans took a seat in front of you. So this Reader was a shy one? That was fine, he was not that good at talking either.

“Um, hello! What can I get started for you?” you asked. Sans plastered on his best grin before leaning against the bar.

“Grillbz knows me, he'll just – oh hey, Grillbz! Hook me up?”

You jumped as your boss appeared behind you and gave Sans a thumbs up before disappearing into the kitchen. Sans watched you as you blinked at the kitchen door before you turned to him suddenly, putting a hand up to your mouth so you could whisper.

“So his name is 'Grillbz'? Thanks, I totally forgot to ask and it's already been a week so I couldn't just _ask_ him his name because oh god I'm so dumb...”

Sans blinked up at you before he started to chuckle. You turned a bright crimson and that only served to make him laugh a little harder. Pressing your hands to your face, you tried to rub the embarrassed heat off your cheeks.

“It's not that funny...!” you grumbled indignantly. Sans forgot himself and poked at your cheek peeking through your fingers.

“It's always a _red_ -letter-day when I get somebody to blush that hard, pal, heh,” Sans chuckled. Through your embarrassment your could not help the laugh that trickled out of you.

“Would you say you're... _tickled pink_?” you said. Sans snorted.

“That was awful. I'm giving you a _pink slip_ for that one.”

“Oh no! Now I'm feeling _blue!_ ”

“Now you'll have to go out and get a new job. Maybe become, uh, a street performer?” Sans winked. “Sing the _blues_.”

You both were giggling now, even as Grillbz put the burger between you as well as several bottles of ketchup. However, you paused in your laughter to note how much of the condiment Sans was putting on his burger.

“You a fan of ketchup?”

Sans grinned before putting the bottle up to his teeth, sucking down the substance as you watched in mild horror.

“Yeah, you could say that, pal. Love it from my head... _tomatoes_.”

It was your turn to snort, pushing at his arm lightly. Sans was pretty content with himself. It had been awhile since someone had laughed that hard at his jokes. Usually Papyrus would just groan and he had not had the time lately to visit with Frisk and Toriel to just unload his best ones on them. Most of them knew his jokes by now anyways.

A part of him knew that this was how things were scripted to be, that you were a Reader and of course he was bound to feel intensely about you, whether it be good or bad, but Sans could not bring himself to care. So he was indulging a little bit, so what? A day had not gone by where he was not thinking about Gaster, he was allowed to have some fun if he wanted to.

“What's so funny?” You started at the sound of Rory's voice at the end of the bar. He was looking Sans up and down in barely concealed contempt. “Didn't know you got paid to stand around and laugh it up.”

Sans eyed Rory in turn. So this was the antagonist? What a prick. Every Reader needed a conflict he supposed, but something about Rory felt especially greasy. You waved your hand at him and Sans watched you as you spoke.

“You're right, you're right! Just having a little fun, hun, it's alright,” you reassured him. Rory simply grunted into his glass. You glanced at your watch and began to take off your apron. “It's getting time for me to end this shift anyway. You ready to go home?”

Sans prickled. This felt wrong to him. It was clear to him that Rory was bad news, but it was obvious you were used to that sort of thing? He could just come out and say something about it, but would that be his place? As much as he knew about Readers and his purpose in their stories, he did not want to ruin things for the people he knew. If he were to get too wrapped up in this, he might cause problems for everyone else.

He paused in his train of thought as you looked back at him and grinned. He made a note that it was a very nice smile.

“So, you come here a lot? Maybe we'll see each other again!” you said happily.

Whether it was simply because you were a Reader and he was the Sans in your story out of the infinite number of Sans's across the different universes, it did not matter to him. He could keep looking for how to help Gaster and keep an eye on you, too.

“Sure, pal.”

Besides, someone who sincerely likes bad jokes...has an integrity you cannot say “no” to.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading the chapter! I've been having fun writing about Sans's past and putting his thoughts about everything down into words. I hope this update was a good one!
> 
> As always, please follow my Tumblr for info about future updates: http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/
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> \-----  
> EDIT 10/19/2017: Lost the revisions on this several times so I'm glad it's finally up lol
> 
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	15. Thanksgiving Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What a title.

The days after the talk in the park were awkward at first. You did not know what to say to Sans now that you knew the real reason he never slept normal hours. He had been right to some extent, you did not really understand everything he had talked about and it was difficult to wrap your mind around timelines. Had there been a timeline where you had never met him? It felt impossible, you life would be empty without him.

You had caught him awake at the dinner table one night after having woken up for a drink. His eyes met yours, a small tinge of panic in them, before he relaxed. He did not need to hide what he was doing from you after all. So you sat with him, drinking your water and talking about anything, but the book in his hands. Instead of risking saying something that might end up bothering him about Gaster, you tried you best to make him laugh. After staying up with him one night and joking around with him like you always did, you felt the tension melt away. Quietly, you confessed to your worries about inadvertently upsetting him. He reassured you that you did not need to walk on eggshells around him.

“I mean, uh, you're an _eggcellent_ pal worrying about me and all, but don't be too hard on yourself.”

“Oh god, not egg puns, please.”

“Alright, I'll stop...even though I've got a _dozen_ of them.”

“ _Sans._ ”

If anything, you found that the two of you were closer than ever. You were spending even more time alone together, either chatting about nothing or enjoying an amicable silence. Sans was appreciating the company, he had told you so on more than one occasion, and it made your chest swell with pride. After a time, you had lost count of just how many terrible movies you had sat through together and how many late night walks back to that park and its tree that you shared. It felt good to be back on level ground with him.

Undyne and Alphys's talk with you had really resonated and you found yourself becoming more shy around Sans. It was clear that there was something developing there, but, after all that he had shared with you and his lingering melancholy regarding his dad, was it your place to pursue it? You were afraid of ruining your friendship with him. Not only that, but college was also taking a lot of your focus. Psychology was permeating your every thought and notes cluttered the space in the garage. Papyrus had gently chided you on the state of your desk. You tried to reassure him that it was a controlled chaos and yes, you needed all those papers splayed precisely that way for a reason. Still, the taller skeleton brother was hesitant about going into your room without at least making your bed for you.

In a way, the messiness was a comfort. When you were living with Rory, everything had to be precisely in its place. Nowadays, you could leave the dishes in the sink for Sans or Papyrus without feeling guilty about it. Of course you did your share, but you had relaxed immensely when it came to doing chores. It was no longer about needing to out of some unfounded panic, it was because hey, sometimes things got messy. It was okay to take a break sometimes and, with your exams rolling around, the state of your room was the least of your worries.

You had been so preoccupied with schoolwork, in fact, that Thanksgiving seemed to spring itself upon you.

Papyrus had excitedly knocked at your door in the early morning of the holiday, wanting your help with making some food. You followed him into the kitchen and were surprised at the state of the kitchen. Pots were bubbling over and there was a cacophony of sound as food rattled away on the stove. Even Sans was working away at something at his own end of the countertop, wearing an apron that was far too big for him.

“Undyne invited all of us to go to her and Alphys's house for dinner! Everyone is coming! I want to make the best spaghetti I possibly can for everyone who will be there!” Papyrus flushed and started to stir the pasta in one of the pots more vigorously. “E-Even Mettaton took some time off to come visit! This spaghetti needs to be absolutely _spectacular!!!_ ”

You patted at Papyrus's back gently trying to calm him down.

“I'm sure Mettaton will love whatever you make, Paps,” you said. Papyrus grinned, bones rattling in his barely contained excitement.

“Yeah, bro,” Sans started. You could already feel it. You knew _exactly_ what he was going to say. “I'm sure he'll like it-”

“Sans.”

“-a Metta- _ton_.”

“ _Sans,_ ” you said, unable to help the small laugh that crept out of you despite your attempts at trying to sound frustrated. Papyrus, on the other hand, was genuinely sighing, although you could swear he was smiling. You poked at his cheek and Papyrus furrowed his brow, as if saying he knew precisely what he was doing and he hated it. This earned another chuckle from you.

You peered into the bubbling pot at Papyrus's spaghetti. It actually looked pretty good, although, after a quick sniff, you found that he might have been a little heavy handed with the garlic. Making a note to bring some mints with you, you decided to peek at what Sans was making.

He was stood on a stepping stool, whisking away at some batter in a large mixing bowl. You could smell cinnamon.

“Oh! Are you making a butterscotch cinnamon pie?” you asked. You remembered how he had made one for you all that time ago. If you recalled correctly, it had tasted delightful. Sans nodded and shrugged.

“Tori's gonna be there and y'know, uh, since she showed me how to make this, I thought she'd appreciate it if I brought my own,” Sans replied. Nodding, you also remembered how Papyrus had mentioned Toriel beforehand, too.

Despite knowing the skeletons, Undyne, and Alphys, you had never had the opportunity to meet the royal family. Papyrus explained how they were always busy, but Sans had confessed there was still some hostility between the king and queen. Frisk, to your knowledge, lived with the queen, but they also had their fair share of work being the ambassador.

You wondered how this dinner would go with everyone there.

\-----

Your food-laden trio stood staring up at the brightly lit house before you, you food in hand. Papyrus had brought a single pot of spaghetti, having deemed it the best out of his dozens of test batches, Sans had brought his pie, and you had tossed together a quick, but fairly large salad. It was taking a lot of strength not to drop what you were carrying though as you all regarded the decorated house in front of you.

“Are you sure we're at the right place?” you mumbled. Sans shrugged and shook his head, but Papyrus recovered and quickly bounded over to ring the doorbell. Undyne, in her usual fashion, flung the door open and grabbed Papyrus into an aggressive hug.

“You guys finally made it!” she shouted. “Toriel and the kid are here already, they're helping me and Alphys set up some of the food.” She noticed you and Sans straggling behind and flashed the pair of you a toothy grin as she caught you admiring her home. “Looks awesome, right?! Asgore helped me trim the bushes into turkey shapes! Now get in here and put the food down, you guys look ridiculous standing out there in the cold!” With a start, you and Sans quickly followed Papyrus and Undyne inside.

The interior was as immaculate as the exterior, probably even more so. The couch had been pushed further against the wall to make way for a long table that stretched between the dining room and the living room. Even though it had been moved, the couch was also decorated for the festivities. There were a number of Autumn themed throw pillows against each arm rest and a large fluffy maroon blanket was draped across the center. The dining table itself looked like something out of a magazine. In lieu of one large turkey, Undyne and Alphys had prepared two smaller birds to sit at either end of the long table. Around each sat an assortment of sides as well as candles. In the very center of the table, surrounded by a beautiful arrangement of poinsettias, rested an overflowing cornucopia, stuffed full of Autumnal vegetables.

You supposed it made sense that, given Alphys and Undyne's excitement about human history and traditions, they would be the type to go all out for holidays. It was hard to ignore the latest home and decor magazines piled up in their bathroom. You had had to work on Halloween so you skipped out on their party, but, from what Papyrus told you, it had been quite extravagant. Seeing the spread before you, it was much easier to believe now than it had been then.

Alphys had hurried down from upstairs, carrying a fragrant pot of potpourri and pinecones that she set on a shelf, before rushing up to wrap you in a hug.

"I-It's so great that you could make it!” She took the salad from your hands and put it down in the middle of the assortment of food, replacing it with a glass of champagne that she pushed into your grasp. You smiled and took a polite sip. You were not much of a drinker, but refusing seemed rude. Besides, it seemed like Undyne had done the same to the skeleton brothers so it was probably something they read about.

“I'm glad I could be here. You and Undyne did a fantastic job decorating!”

Before Alphys could reply to you, Undyne took her spot up beside the flustered monster, wrapping a gentle arm around her shoulders.

“Most of it was Alphys! She really did a great job setting everything up!” Undyne proclaimed, giving Alphys a gentle squeeze, making her blush.

Sans came up beside you, holding up his pie.

“So, uh, where should I put this?” he asked. Undyne looked between the pie and you before smiling cheekily.

“Got the bonehead to do some baking, huh?” She leaned in close to you before whispering. “Bet he looked cute in that apron, heh heh.”

You sputtered and shoved at her gently, laughing into your glass. She and Alphys could be relentless and, if your warming cheeks were any indication, they were incredibly good at pressing your buttons. Luckily Sans just fidgeted while Undyne teased you, unable to hear what she was saying to you. Hopefully he did not notice the red on your face as you took a fairly large gulp of champagne to cover your nervous laughter. You would need to remember to scold the fish monster when you had a moment alone with her.

“Y-You can just put it in the kitchen! Toriel and Frisk are in there right now, th-they'll show you where it needs to go!” Alphys interjected. Sans nodded and made his way over to the kitchen.

Another knock at the door made Undyne perk up as she rushed over to open it with a flourish. Standing in the doorway, was Asgore and Mettaton. You had never met them, but you had seen them both on TV, although for wildly different reasons. The king made frequent appearances on the news, talking to other world leaders about monster and human relations, while Mettaton had climbed the ladder to celebrity stardom quite quickly with his career as an actor. Mettaton was dressed very extravagantly, wearing a plush suit that you expected cost more than all the clothes in your closet, as well as black shoes that had been shone to a bright polish. On the other hand, Asgore was wearing a rather old looking woolen sweater and dark corduroy pants, something you imagined most dads would wear.

“Hello, darling! Look at who I ran into on the doorstep!” Mettaton said, patting at Asgore's shoulder. “Poor guy was pacing a hole into your doormat.” Asgore flushed.

“Uh, is...is Tori...Toriel here?” the king asked gently.

As if on cue, a human and a monster that looked similar to Asgore emerged from the kitchen with Sans in tow. You assumed that they were Frisk and Toriel, especially given the sheepish wave that Asgore gave to her. She regarded him with a friendly smile that did not seem to reach her eyes. Frisk, on the other hand, came bounding over to wrap their arms around him.

You had heard about Frisk and all that they had done to break the barrier. That had been years ago, when they were just a child. Now, it seemed, they had entered into their late teen years. Maybe early adulthood? You could not tell, you were always a bad judge of age. Even so, although Frisk was tall and slender, Asgore lifted them like they were nothing, returning their embrace whole-heartedly.

“Hello, my child! It has been quite some time, yes?”

Frisk nodded before making some motions with their hands. Asgore watched intently before nodding himself.

“That does sound like fun. Maybe you can ask Toriel to let you come visit so you can show me, okay?” He looked hopefully at Toriel while Frisk beamed up at him, but Toriel simply raised an eyebrow. Asgore chuckled nervously before setting Frisk down, ruffling their hair. It was then that Frisk spotted you. They waved at you and you waved back. You could not read sign language so you were at a loss when they started to make similar hand motions towards you.

“The kid says it's nice to meet you,” came Sans's voice beside you. “They've heard a lot about you...from Papyrus, apparently.” When Frisk furrowed their brow and pointed at Sans, the skeleton flushed before adding, “Maybe, uh, some stuff from me, too, heh.”

Alphys hurried over and took Mettaton's arm, guiding him towards you for an introduction. He looked down at Alphys in feigned annoyance, but you could see a touch of affection. He offered his hand to you, but in such a way that you had no idea if he wanted you to shake it or kiss it. You decided on the former being the safer bet.

“I am Mettaton, dear, but I'm sure you already knew that. It's a pleasure to meet you!” He spotted Papyrus behind you and promptly hurried past you to wrap him in a hug, pressing kisses to his cheekbones. “Oh, Papy! It has been too long, darling! You really _must_ come visit me more!”

Papyrus could have outshone the lights outside with the look of glee on his face, turning to press his teeth to Mettaton's forehead in what you assumed was his own version of a kiss. He rubbed his skull and let out a booming laugh, resting a shaking hand around Mettaton's middle. The robot continued to coo at him, but he said it quietly so only Papyrus could hear, tracing shapes on the skeleton's chest. Whatever it was, it certainly did make Papyrus blush even brighter. You could see Sans's grip tightening around his glass, but he tried to calm himself when he caught you smiling gently at him. He certainly was a very protective brother.

For his sake, Undyne called everyone's attention.

“Let's eat while everything is still hot!”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 of Thanksgiving festivities will be uploaded Saturday night. Sorry I didn't get much done plot-wise with this chapter, but I've got the flu! I promise some fun stuff will happen in chapter 16~
> 
> As always, check out my Tumblr for info about updates. You can also send me messages whenever you want! http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/
> 
> If you like my work and would like to support me as I continue to improve my skills, consider donating to my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MadamMerlise?ty=h  
> \-----  
> EDIT 10/20/2017: Edits are done! I don't think I ever made it clear in the previous chapter, but Sans did not tell Reader about the fact that they were a Reader, so that's still a mystery to them. They know about Gaster and the timelines and the machine, but nothing about being Reader. I had added that bit in to show how they met Sans in the first place. Hope that clarified things and I hope you enjoy!
> 
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	16. Thanksgiving Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What are you thankful for?

Everyone took a place at the table. You sat yourself between Sans and Papyrus, still feeling shy about meeting so many new people. Papyrus was enraptured with Mettaton, leaning heavily towards the robot, so you looked to Sans for guidance. However, he had his eyes on Toriel and Asgore. Everyone else settled into place, with Toriel taking a seat beside the short skeleton and looking very pointedly at Asgore when he tried to claim the seat on the other side of her. He coughed and moved to the other end of the table, between Mettaton and Undyne. The fish monster slapped his back reassuringly, but he looked like he wished no one had noticed. Frisk quickly stole the seat and placed a hand on Toriel's, a small frown of tension there. You wondered if that sort of thing happened often.

Before the meal began, Alphys spoke up, standing as she did so. Undyne placed a soothing hand on her back, rubbing circles as her girlfriend smiled shakily.

“B-Before we eat...um, well, as you know, humans h-have this tradition of...of talking about all the things they were thankful for in the past year. I don't know if, um, oh, if y-you guys would want to-” Toriel clapped her hands in delight.

“That sounds like a splendid idea, Alphys!” Frisk nodded in agreement. Alphys smiled shyly before continuing.

“W-W-Well! I guess I'm thankful to have all my, um, good friends here with me! Y-Yeah! Everyone I love is here and...” She covered her face to hide her reddening scales while Undyne's hands stilled, a flush of delight blooming across her own expression. “...I...I don't know where I would be without you.”

You smiled at her, but noting Mettaton and Undyne's expression of relief, you wondered if there was more to what she had said than what she let on.

Frisk stood from their place beside Alphys and waved their hand. Everyone gave a soft chuckle before Toriel encouraged them to speak, everyone agreeing to go counter-clockwise around the table. Frisk touched their chin for a moment, before breaking out into a bashful grin. Signing quickly, you watched their happy expression as they regarded everyone at the table, pausing on Toriel. With one last sign, Toriel's eyes began to water as she reached out to Frisk to embrace them. While they hugged, Sans tugged at your arm to whisper a translation.

“The kid is thankful to have their family with them after everything that happened Underground.” He eyed Toriel and Frisk as they broke apart from their hug, with the goat monster pressing a kiss to their forhead. “They're especially thankful for their mom.”

Your gaze softened watching Frisk shuffle back into their seat, a touch embarrassed about the affectionate display. Toriel had to wipe the tears from the corner of her eyes before she could speak.

“My goodness! There are so many wonderful things I am thankful for! Of course, out of everything, I am most thankful for my incredible child. You work so very hard and you have done so much to try and improve the relationship between our species. I could not ask for a better gift in my life than the love of you, my child.” Frisk had covered their face, but you could see the toothy grin peeking out between their fingers. Toriel looked down the table at Asgore for a moment before going on.

“I am thankful that, despite the understandable friction between humans and monsters-” Asgore flinched. “-there are still efforts being made toward achieving peace between us. My school is flourishing and soon, hopefully, humans will feel safe enough to start joining as well.”

She sat back in her chair with an easy smile, but you swallowed against the tension in the air. Glancing around, it seemed that everyone else could feel it, even as Toriel smiled brightly and took her seat. Asgore was practically inhaling his drink, his eyes glued to an anime figurine on a shelf. Sans was right, there was some unresolved business there. You did not envy Frisk in that moment, if anything, you felt a little bad for them. You felt the chair scrape beside you and realized it was Sans's turn to speak. Surprised, you saw that he seemed flustered as he rubbed at the back of his skull.

“Heh. It's, uh, hard to follow an act like that,” he chuckled, making Toriel giggle as well. Sans winked at her and you squirmed in your seat. You tried to squash the voice that whispered about "unresolved business _there_ , too", but he pressed on before you could think too much about it. “Honestly, all that nice stuff you said makes me feel like I should've dressed up a little bit or something...maybe I should've worn a _har-vest._ ”

The joke startled you, although why would it? You laughed softly at the pun while everyone else groaned or sighed, but heard Toriel snort through the fingers covering her snout. Sans winked at her again, his grin growing. Your laughter died in your throat and you could not help the thought that lingered. Did Sans do this sort of stuff with everybody? You felt ridiculous, recognizing the jealousy buzzing about in your chest. It was not your place to feel jealous about it. Besides, Toriel and Sans had known each other for a long time. They were both monsters. It made sense if they were...

You hastily took a sip of your champagne, scrunching your nose at the bubbles rushing down your throat too fast. You willed yourself to stop thinking about it, but you could not stop seeing the look on Toriel's face as she looked at Sans. Her eyes were glued to his features. The skeleton in question kept on talking, gesturing around the table.

“Uh, well, it's pretty much what Alphys said, to be honest. I have some great friends here. Not to mention my cool brother!” Papyrus puffed up with pride at that. Sans looked at you and grinned slyly. “Uh, you see...uh...” He stammered before shrugging and tacking on a quiet, “Thanks for keeping me from getting too _bonely_.” He plopped down beside you and you regarded him with a small smile. A small bead of sweat rolled down his brow which he dabbed at with his sleeve. Seeing him get nervous finally snapped you out of your jealous wondering, patting his arm with sympathy. Sans was your friend. Before anything, he would always be your friend.

For some reason, the thought made you a little sad. A friend.

When everyone's eyes turned to you, you felt the heat rise up your neck and settle into your face. The hand on San's arm felt hot and foreign, making you pull it away quickly, as though you had done something inappropriate. What were you thankful for? What _could_ you say? Sure you were close to Sans and Papyrus, even really good pals with Undyne and Alphys, but you hardly knew the other four people in attendance. Putting down your glass with a heavy thunk, you stood and cleared your throat.

“This past year and a half has been...difficult,” you said, stumbling over the last word. An understatement. “I'm very thankful to Sans and Papyrus for...for offering me a place in their home. They do their best to take care of me, even on my most difficult days. I trust them.” You were speaking in general terms, but in your heart you knew that a lot of what you were saying was applicable to Sans. It always seemed to go back to that with him, but it made sense, the two of you were connected at the hip these days.

You glanced at the skeleton in question as he patted at your arm encouragingly, mirroring what you had done for him. “I hope that I...I hope that they can say the same about me, too.”

As you sat, Undyne chuckled, “Well, jeez, I guess me and Alphys are chopped liver, huh?” You sputtered that that was not true, that you appreciated them just as much, but she waved her hand at you. “Just teasing, kiddo, relax!”

Talk went around the table in much the same way. Papyrus expressed his thanks for everyone individually, going into detail when it came to Sans, Frisk, Mettaton, and, to your surprise, you. He was practically sobbing when he sat again, overcome with happiness and thanks.

Mettaton thanked Alphys for all the support she had given him over the years. He acknowledged that, at times, he felt that he might have left her feeling abandoned so he appreciated that Undyne was there to keep her company. The two hostesses blushed, with Undyne laughing happily.

Asgore did not have much to add either except an over-arching thankfulness for all of monster kind and humanity. He was still eyeing Toriel very carefully as he spoke, but she was having none of it, taking great interest in a manga on a shelf.

When Undyne stood, she actually looked bashful as she took Alphys's hand. She spoke about how lucky she felt to be sharing a home with her after all the time they had taken to get there. She talked about the school and her students in gym, how proud she was of them, punctuating her statement by ruffling Frisk's hair. For a moment, you thought she might get emotional like Papyrus, but she quieted herself with a forceful chuckle before plopping back into her chair.

“Man, let's eat before Papyrus cries himself a hat over there!” she joked, rubbing at her own eyes. It took little more than that to convince everyone to tuck in.

You had heard monster food was different than human food, much like the differences between monster alcohol and human alcohol you had to deal with at work. Instead of passing through you, monster food would simply nourish and give you energy, disappearing completely within you. You had never tried it before and you wondered if the food on the table was monster or human. Taking a bite of the stuffing, you felt something in the middle of your chest pulse inside you, leaving you feeling warm and...good? It was difficult to describe, but it was delicious regardless.

Everyone broke off into their own conversations, leaving you to silently nibble at the food on your plate. You were still disturbed by your reaction to the closeness that Toriel and Sans had exhibited. Glancing between the pair of them as they shared another laugh, no doubt at one of Sans's puns, you tried not to sigh.

It was true what you had thought before, that them ending up together would make the most sense. Sure, you and Sans were close, but could that compare to the closeness that he and Toriel seemed to share, especially since they had known each other for much longer than he had known you? You were his friend and a guest in his home. If you tried to pursue something with him, it would ruin everything. He was just doing you a favour. Besides, if she could make him happy, that was all that mattered to you.

You tried to tell yourself that you did not mind.

They laughed again.

You stabbed at the yams piled onto your plate with your fork a little too enthusiastically, making your cutlery clink against the dish. Sans turned to you, not seeming to notice, and motioned for you to lean into their conversation. Despite your childish emotions, you relented.

“The kid wanted me to come visit them at Tori's place,” Sans explained to you. His voice was hushed, obviously trying to spare the king's feelings. “They also, uh...wanted to get to know you, too. Would you like to go with me sometime?”

You blushed brightly, more out of the bubbling guilt at your earlier thoughts than anything, watching Frisk grin up at you hopefully. You returned it, nodding your consent.

“That sounds great.”

Sans seemed to light up beside you as well, his toothy grin almost straining at the edges. He had mentioned how close he and Frisk were, he was almost like an uncle to them. _Or a father,_ you thought for a moment, as Sans asked about a good time to visit, but you shut that particular train of thought up. Since when were you the jealous type? It was getting to be annoying.

After dinner, Frisk had asked about dessert and you were amazed. Maybe you just had eaten too much, but you had absolutely no room for anything else. The thought of Sans's delicious pie was not even enough to convince you. That did not matter though, as Undyne hopped to her feet instead, pulling Alphys up with her.

“In a second, kid! I actually have something I want everyone to see,” the fish monster announced. Whatever it was, Alphys had no idea, since she was looking at Undyne with the same confused expression you all wore. Undyne paid you all no mind, instead choosing to point dramatically at the back down. “Everybody get into the backyard! I've got a surprise back there!”

Frisk was the first out of everyone to the door, grabbing at Toriel's hand to lead them. Everyone else straggled behind.

The sun had sunk beneath the horizon already so the night was dark and cold. The backyard had been decorated with the same care and excess as the rest of the house, except there was something sticking out of place in the very center. It took a moment for your eyes to adjust before you recognized it as a tall, plain hedge. You wondered why Undyne did not have Asgore carve that one.

The king in question seemed to know what was going on, the small smile he wore making his eyes soften as he watched Undyne lead Alphys out into the yard by the hand.

“Alright everybody, back up! N-Not you, Alphys, you stand right here. Right in the middle.” Undyne seemed nervous as she scooted Alphys towards the front of the group and planted her in the center facing the hedge. Alphys fiddled with the hem of her dress in her own nervousness.

“Um...U-Undyne? I don't remember this being, um, part of our plans for tonight,” the dinosaur monster mumbled. Undyne's nerves seemed to dissipate as she looked down at Alphys, giving her a warm smile.

“Well...this is kind of a surprise for _you_.”

Before Alphys could respond, Undyne spun on her heel and drew her hands up. You could feel the wind in the yard begin to pick up as you felt that familiar sensation of someone drawing in their magic. Instead of a glowing eye though, Undyne's magic just seemed to appear, making giant blue spears out of seemingly thin air. With a grunt, she pushed her hands forward, sending the spears through the bush. You jumped in surprise.

The surprise quickly turned to joy as everyone in the group cheered, while Alphys could only stare, open-mouthed, at the still-smoking hedge in front of her.

Using her spears, Undyne had burned through the leaves, leaving gaping holes. However, the holes were arranged in a specific way. She had burned a question into the leaves, a question that had Alphys in tears after the shock had faded.

_**WILL YOU MARRY ME?** _

Without another moment of hesitation, Alphys flung herself into Undyne's arms, kissing her deeply. You all took that as a resounding “yes”.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was so excited as I wrote these past two chapters. We've been dealing with such heavy stuff, I thought we needed a little bit of happiness in the middle of it. I'm looking forward to writing about the wedding. But, before that, I'm excited to write about Sans and Reader's visit with Toriel and Frisk.
> 
> As always, you can find updates about the fic and my personal life from my fanfic Tumblr: http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/
> 
> \-----
> 
> EDIT (2/6/2018) Hoo boy, it's been awhile since I've revised a chapter. Let's change that, hm?


	17. The Visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, these titles are getting worse and worse.;;

The proposal was both a shock and also totally expected. The way Alphys had confided in you about the letter Undyne had sent her back before they got together had made you believe that your fiery friend had a romantic streak in her. The way she had proposed, all flashy spears, nearly setting the neighbor's house on fire, seemed to fit her style of doing things. She was passionate. She loved Alphys.

After the dinner, everything felt like a blur. The girls had asked you to help them plan things for their wedding, which would take place in a few months. They wanted to invite every single monster in town. It seemed like a short time to plan for as big a wedding as they wanted, but they seemed to have faith that everything would work out in the end. So, for the next week, they took up all of your time.

As if your exams were not stressful enough, you had to help them out with all sorts of things. Weddings were not as big a production in the monster world, it was wholly a human tradition they wanted to adopt as their own. Once again, this seemed fitting to the human-history-loving pair. However, their knowledge about the whole affair was slim to none and they frequently called to ask you about certain customs. What should they wear? What should they do? What sort of decorations should they get? Should there be a theme? It was all so much, even when you told them that a lot of those things were meant to be for them to decide.

Not only that, they took the engagement as an opportunity to “share the happiness” as it was by doubling their efforts to push you to try and date Sans. By now you had accepted that you had feelings for him, but, when you tried to imagine the two of you together, you could only remember the way he had laughed with Toriel. It was disheartening. You did not even want to try.

It was in the middle of all the planning that Sans tried to pull you out of it. You were sat in the middle of the garage, surrounded by textbooks and wedding magazines, the books circling you like you were an animal they were hunting. You certainly felt as though you might fall victim to all the information you were soaking in.

The familiar tap of bones to wood at your door brought you out of your stupor. Sans entered and looked around your room in silence. It was a wreck.

“Hey, uh...did you want to go see Frisk and Toriel today? I know you've been kinda busy lately. Maybe you need a break, pal,” Sans said, stepping closer. He was careful to avoid trampling anything.

The question had you conflicted. A part of you wanted to see Frisk and get to know them better. Another part of you was concerned about how you would feel being around Toriel and Sans. The way Frisk and Papyrus had behaved during Thanksgiving when the pair were swapping puns led you to believe that it was a normal thing for them. You did not know if you could deal with it.

Another thought came to mind.

Instead of sitting there stewing in your misery, maybe you could get to know Toriel a little better? It was not like she was a bad person after all, you were just envious of her relationship with Sans since it felt different than the one you shared with him. Maybe you would have the courage to ask her upfront about her feelings.

With that in mind, you agreed, already thinking about a good outfit that would impress a queen.

And maybe a skeleton, too.

\-----

When you had emerged from your room later in the evening, ready to go, Sans had looked you up and down in what you hoped was wonder. His eyes on you made you flush and tug at your sleeves.

Maybe you had gone a little overboard.

You had tried to dress up without looking like you had put too much effort into it. It was not too cold to wear a skirt, right? Underneath it you had put on floral print leggings and some short ankle boots to give you some more height. To try and make it look less dressy, you had pulled on an over-sized blue sweater and let your hair wave like it naturally did, messily cascading down your back from beneath a knit beanie. You felt ridiculous, but hoped you looked effortlessly cute. It was certainly not your usual jeans, sneakers, and t-shirt combo you were so fond of. At least you had not put on any makeup. Well...not too much.

“I-I'm ready to go!” you said lamely. Your confidence was waning by the second the more Sans stared at you.

You found, as your feelings for the skeleton deepened, you had been hearing Rory's old criticisms in the back of your head. He would always chastize you for the way you dressed, complained about your weight or the shape of you body, and, basically, just made you feel wholly unattractive. It was also so at odds with what he would say to you in the bedroom. Bitterly, you thought that maybe you were just easy to sleep with, not easy to love. You thought about how beautiful and tall Toriel had looked at Thanksgiving, a kind wisdom in her eyes. How could you compare to that?

Sans's voice stirred you out of your thoughts.

“You, uh, going someplace special and didn't tell me about it, pal?” He winked at you, making you look away. “Sorry, just thought I need to _ad-dress_ the get-up you're wearing.”

“I just wanna make a good impression,” you mumbled. Before Sans could respond to that, you were hurrying towards the door. “W-Well, it's too late now, we have to go!”

Sans followed behind you and locked the door. Papyrus was out with Undyne and Alphys, helping them relax, so no one would be home when you came back.

Trotting down the sidewalk, you were absolutely aware of the sound of your shoes clicking on the pavement. The sound seemed even louder in the evening time. You were thankful that it was a small town so most everyone was home having dinner, otherwise you thought you might die of embarrassment. There were not even any cars on the road. Still, you fiddled with a loose thread in your anxiety.

Maybe this was a bad idea. You were already unsure of how you would feel being around Toriel again and now you had set yourself up in the wrong frame of mind, totally out of your element. The clothes were not even that drastically different from what you normally wore, it was just the context of the whole thing.

The queen, or ex-queen now it seemed, was very sweet to you when you spoke briefly at Thanksgiving over dessert. She seemed so proper and adorable, easy to make smile. To you, she was almost the pinnacle of what a proper lady would look like. Toriel made you feel a little unrefined if you were honest with yourself.

You felt something tug at your shirt. Looking down, Sans had grabbed at the loose thread and plucked it off of you. He shoved his hands back into his pockets.

“I didn't, uh, say you looked bad, pal.”

\-----

The little cottage was everything you expected, neat and tidy with a homey feel to it. The plants outside were in perfect lines and they looked happy and healthy, too. Sitting inside the living room, a cup of tea in your hands, you could smell that Toriel was baking pie. Goddamnit, how could you compete with this amazing monster?

Frisk had been so excited to see the both of you, they could hardly sign coherently enough for Sans to translate for you. You smiled as you watched Sans and Frisk joking and playing closer towards the television. The kid was adorable, you had to admit. It was easy to see why everyone seemed to really care them. As Sans ruffled Frisk's hair, you caught yourself thinking about how good he was with people...specifically kids. You turned red so fast that you thought you might burst into flames, sipping at your drink. It was scalding, but you needed something to do.

“May I speak with you a moment?”

Toriel's voice by your ear made you jump and sputter, burning your lips even further. Maybe she could read your thoughts. Could monsters read thoughts? Oh god, what if Sans-

“Would you please join me in the kitchen?” Toriel whispered. “We can slip away, they will be busy for quite some time.” Your heart thundering in your chest, you could only nod sheepishly as you silently stood and followed her into the small kitchen.

The kitchen was much like the rest of the house in that it was almost painfully scenic. There were flowers in a vase on the table where the freshly baked pie was cooling. It was only the beginning of December, but the tablecloth had been changed out to a festive Winter themed one, covered in a snowflake and holly pattern. You sat at the table, across from Toriel, fidgeting slightly in your seat. Even when you were sitting, she was taller than you. Once again, you found yourself sipping at the too-hot tea in your mug in an effort to not feel so nervous. If things went on this way, you would have no more taste buds by the end of the night. To your credit, Toriel looked nervous, too.

“So...you are living with Papyrus and Sans,” she started. You nodded, recognizing that maternal tone. Was she going to lecture you? A part of you felt a little indignant at the thought. “Well, to get right to the point, my child...I have noticed that you and Sans are becoming quite close.”

 _Oh._ Was it going to be _that_ kind of conversation? Was she going to ask you to back off because she had dibs or something? All you could do was quietly nod again, your anxiety bubbling up in your throat. As much as you had told yourself before you got there that you would be more upfront and confident, you were at a loss at what to say. Toriel simply sighed.

“Thank you for that.”

“Uh-” Wait, what?

“I have noticed that Sans has been more rested lately. And, as small a change as it seems, he does seem more relaxed. I can only assume that that is your doing? Sans has been different since he met you,” Toriel continued. She almost looked sad as she spoke. “I do not think I have been as much help, unfortunately. How did you two meet?”

Well. This had turned completely on its head and now she was the one questioning you when you had planned for the opposite. You felt guilty.

“I'm a waitress at New-Grillby's so, um...well, I'm sure you know how much he loves his burgers, heh heh,” you said softly. Toriel's laugh told you that she knew exactly what you meant. “We just kind of...clicked, I suppose?”

“Sans just has that talent. He draws people to him.” You cast your eyes down into your now empty cup, grinning and nodding in agreement.

“He's...really wonderful. I don't know where I would be without him.”

Toriel watched you for a moment more before humming softly to herself as she stood. She went to go grab the teapot, no doubt to refill your cup. She had shattered all your negative feelings about her and you could not help the hot wash of shame that flooded over you as a result. She really was a kind lady, so what if she was close to Sans? You felt childish for being so jealous.

She came around to your end of the table and poured fresh, hot tea into your cup. You were about to tell her thank you when she spoke up again.

“You really care about him.”

She smirked at you as you babbled in response.

No. You were wrong. This woman knew too much and could read you like a book.

She patted your arm gently, trying to calm you down.

“There, there, my child, I understand completely. I, too, have very strong feelings for him.”

And there it was. Your answer. You slumped down further into your chair.

“Oh...so...Um, are you and Sans...?” you asked, not wanting to hear the answer, but needing to all the same.

“Well...we tried once, a long time ago,” Toriel confessed. “But, in the end, we just did not work out. I care about him deeply, but we just could not work out our own problems. A part of me still has to work on what I feel for Asgore, I have to deal with that resentment. As for Sans...he has always been a mystery to me. We would laugh and joke, but nothing more. It is hard to have a serious relationship with someone when you spend most of your time with them doing everything you can to get away from the seriousness in your life.” She stepped back over towards the stove, setting the teapot down on the burner. “Do you...wish to be serious with him, my child? Do you want to be more than what the two of you are now?”

Unbidden, tears began to well up in your eyes. You rubbed at them in confusion. Still, you wanted to answer her honestly since she had been so honest with you.

“...Yes...For awhile now, I've been thinking about it. Sans is...” You stumble over your words as you feel yourself blush brightly for the hundredth time that evening. “Sans is the only one I can ever talk to about anything. He listens so patiently and has been nothing but sweet and giving. I want to...I want to be the same kind of comfort to him.”

“How kind of you,” came Toriel's soft reply. She was not looking at you, but you felt the urge to continue.

“I don't know how to do it though...” you admitted. “He tells me so much about himself, I worry that if I try to d-date him, I'll ruin everything. I'm scared I'll lose him. So I can't risk it. I can't risk telling him how I feel, even if it's become hard to not say anything about it.”

The silence laid thickly in the kitchen. You wondered if maybe you had told her too much.

Suddenly, a shiver crept up your back. You felt like you were being watched. Turning in your seat, you caught a flash of blue before hearing a loud pop. You stood so quickly, the chair almost toppled over.

“Sh-Shit!”

Without a moment's hesitation, you rushed out of the kitchen, almost running into Frisk on your way out. They signed in confusion, no doubt wondering where everyone was going, but you did not have time to explain. You apologized and hurried around them, through the living room, and out the front door.

In the kitchen, Toriel was trying not to cry. Frisk's hands on her back startled her, but she simply turned and embraced them.

Despite her kindness, she could not help her own jealousy either.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh hey, some cliff-hanger-y stuff! Luckily for you it's at the beginning of the week so you can look forward to an update on Thursday! Also sorry to give you some one-sided Soriel stuff. ;v; I'm not big into the ship, but I love Tori and it made me sad to think about this lol
> 
> As always, please check out my Tumblr. I answer questions and post info about updates: http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/
> 
> If you would like to support me and help me continue to write, please consider becoming a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/MadamMerlise?ty=h


	18. Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter from Sans's POV.

Of course Sans had noticed that you had left, but look in Frisk's eye told him to stay put. Whatever Toriel had to say to you must have been important enough that even the kid knew something was up. Still, he found it hard not to worry.

Things were still a little off between him and Toriel. Sure, he had liked her at first, but once he had used up all his best material and she pressed him for something substantial, he had floundered. He could crack jokes just fine, but opening up was hard for him. In a way, he wished it had not been so maybe he might have ended up with her, happy and complete. Now, he was left knowing that you were a Reader and that he could not deny the way he felt about you.

He had been battling back and forth inside his head about the whole thing. You knew about Gaster, but you did not know how these kinds of stories worked, or that you were even _in_ a story for that matter. A Reader was designed to be the vessel for the people who, well, read the story. You, on principle, were written a specific way to make you desirable. So, did that mean that he loved you because he loved _you_ or did he love you because you both were written to fall for each other? Did it even matter? If the story was going to end some day, would it not be in his best interest to enjoy himself with all the time he had left?

Even if it was a story, it felt real to Sans. This life he had led was all he had ever known and he cared about the people in it. No doubt the whole thing felt real to you, too. He understood the matrix behind the universes, he had seen other places and observed other Readers. He could not forget that no matter how hard he tried.

A gentle tap against the side of his head startled him back to the present. Frisk had knocked their knuckles against the side of Sans's skull, scrunching their nose at him.

“What's with the serious look, kid?” Sans said, grinning wide. He knew Frisk could see right through him, but old habits die hard.

“I could say the same to you,” Frisk signed, mimicking Sans by pulling at the corners of their mouth with their fingers. They tugged the corners down to make a severe frown before motioning again. “You haven't been visiting as much. Mom has been worried about you.”

“Heh, well, you know how I like to _get her goat_ ,” Sans chuckled. Frisk remained expressionless, making the skeleton sweat. The kid was too damn good at that. “Listen, kiddo, it's no big deal. She doesn't need to worry about me and you don't need to either.”

“They're worried about you, too,” came Frisk's simple reply, signing with a bit of hesitance. “The way they look at you...They know something is up, but they don't know how to help.” Sans's smile became a little more genuine at that last comment, but it did little to stop the doubt swirling in his head.

“I know they do. We, uh...We talk about a lot of stuff,” Sans explained, rubbing at the back of his skull. Frisk seemed to light up at this, leaning in closer.

“Are you guys...?” The kid did not finish the statement, simply waggling their eyebrows and fingers suggestively. If Sans could have turned any bluer, he might have been mistaken for a very expressive blueberry. Leaning away, he thought carefully about his answer.

“We're really close, but that's all. They're...special, but I don't feel right asking them to be with me just yet, y'know? We both gotta sort through some of our own shit – _stuff,_ whoops.” Frisk waved off the swear. Toriel was not around to hear it so what did they care? They seemed more interested in knowing that he did, indeed, have feelings for you. They tried to urge them on, but Sans put up a hand.

“I don't want to get into it, kid. They've had a bad time and Rory is still out there somewhere. He hasn't come around, but, uh, I worry what might happen if he comes back and sees me with them, y'know? Besides, they're just getting their life back together, I don't wan to mess that up for them.” Sans shrugged his eyes darkening. “And I don't know what's, uh, going to be happening to me in the meantime.”

Frisk raised their brows in questioning, but once again Sans just waved them off. He had forgotten that they did not know about Gaster. If he were to disappear, what would that do to you? Even if you forgot everything about him because he ceased to exist, it still did not sit right with him to give you somebody to care about only to take them away again. You deserved better than that.

Sans found himself unsettled by the line of questioning, especially now that it had gotten so close to touching upon Gaster. Instead, he stood up and brushed himself off, startling Frisk.

“I'm gonna go grab a slice of pie.”

Without waiting for a response, Sans shoved his hands in his pockets and made his way over to the kitchen. He was about to call out a greeting since he knew that you still did not like when he would surprise you, when he caught the tail end of your conversation with Toriel.

“Do you...wish to be serious with him, my child? Do you want to be more than what the two of you are now?”

He froze as he watched your shoulders shake. Were you crying? He was behind you so he could not see your face, but the way you reached up to rub at your eyes told him you were getting kind of emotional. He could not believe Toriel was having this talk with you. She, too, was looking away, hunched over the stove. Sans was once again about to announce himself when you spoke up.

“...Yes...”

Oh.

“...For awhile now, I've been thinking about it. Sans is...” You were doing that thing with your hands when you could not find the right words you wanted to use, waving them a little in front of you. Sans could only watch and listen. “Sans is the only one I can ever talk to about anything. He listens so patiently and has been nothing but sweet and giving. I want to...I want to be the same kind of comfort to him.”

“How kind of you.” Toriel's short reply made Sans wince. He could not pretend to be blind to her lingering feelings for him, but he just could not be the skeleton she wanted him to be. Back then, he was not ready to be anything serious with anyone. Was he ready now...?

“I don't know how to do it though...” You were still having trouble getting your words out. In a way, this felt like a confession to yourself as well as to Toriel, Sans could feel it. “He tells me so much about himself, I worry that if I try to d-date him, I'll ruin everything. I'm scared I'll lose him. So I can't risk it. I can't risk telling him how I feel, even if it's become hard to not say anything about it.”

It was all so much to process for him. He had had an inkling that you were starting to feel that way and of course he knew how much Undyne and Alphys were teasing you, but hearing you say it...felt different. It made him feel something.

All of a sudden, he saw you jump and begin to turn. After knowing him for so long, he guessed you just had a sense when he was around. He was not ready to face you yet, especially when you knew that he had heard it all. Sans felt a burst of adrenaline course through him, unable to think of a way out of this situation he was not ready to be in just yet.

He panicked.

He thought he vaguely heard you curse before he found himself teleporting away.

\-----

Sans let out a few swears of his own as he landed in a heap several blocks away. He had let his emotions get the better of him and it resulted in his powers acting up. With some hesitance, he patted himself down, checking to see that he was all there. When he felt that he was whole and not melting in the slightest, he let a different worry hit him.

He had heard you confess to wanting more with him. Not only that, but you had seen that he had been there to hear it. If he had just stayed put, maybe he could have played it off, but with his little disappearing act, he had put himself in a bad spot.

Sans decided to keep going with what he had forced himself into, as he broke into a sprint. He needed to clear his head. He needed some time to himself...Well, maybe not _all_ by himself.

As if his feet knew where he would want to go before he did, he found himself coming up to New-Grillby's door. Trying to collect himself, Sans stepped inside.

Thankfully, since it was getting close to closing time, there was no one in there except Grillbz, who watched Sans in interest. The skeleton tried to his hardest to put on a convincing grin for him.

“H-Hey, Grillbz! Just, uh...here for the usual, heh heh!” Sans said, already feeling himself start to sweat.

Despite having no visible eyes, Grillbz was not blind. It was clear to him that something was wrong. He simply raised a fiery eyebrow at the short skeleton, making Sans shrink even further into himself, almost as if his jacket would completely envelope him. Part of Sans wished he could just disappear in the folds of his fabric until this all blew over. Instead, he walked over to the bar and took a seat in his favorite stool.

The silence was heavy between the two of them. Grillbz was standing on the other side of the counter, looking down at Sans as the skeleton leaned lower and lower against the bar.

“Sans-”

“I'm so fucking tired, Grillbz.”

The reply startled Grillbz and it looked like it had almost startled Sans, too. However, deep in his bones, he knew it was true. He could not look up at Grillbz as he continued to speak, instead choosing to inspect the details in his knuckle bones.

“Every day has been such a hassle since I came around. I've been dealing with so much shit that only _they_ know about and I can't understand how they have any sort of feelings for me. They aren't supposed to have feelings for me! I'll just...I'll just mess everything up,” Sans muttered. “They...They deserve so much better than I can give them.”

“Well, that isn't up to you to decide, is it, Sans?”

Sans paused, but had to shake his head. You cared about him and, from the way it sounded, you had been thinking about it for a long time, about as long as he had been thinking about it. He wanted to be with you. He wanted to be with you without feeling like it might all slip away, like it would not be pointless to get attached to you when all of this might end. He sighed.

“God, Grillbz...I'm so sick of smiling all the time.”

Once again, it was quiet. Sans was fuming, not really sure what he wanted to feel so he just focused it on being frustrated with himself instead. He felt a warmth at the top of his skull as he looked up to see Grillbz patting his head. It reminded him of when he was younger, years ago, still living in the Underground with nobody but Grillbz and Papyrus.

“...So don't.”

Sans blinked up at Grillbz with empty sockets before reaching out for a hug. Grillbz embraced him, letting the sound of his flames crackling and popping overtake the gentle sob that shuddered out of Sans's bones.

As the minutes ticked by, Grillbz was also reminded of the years when Papyrus was just a small boy and Sans was just a kid himself, scared out of his mind. Back then, the only time he had ever seen Sans get emotional was the day he showed up with Papyrus.

Grillbz had held him then, too.

\-----

Sans wandered back up to the house and saw that the lights in the garage were off. Were you asleep? Were you angry with him? He had to find out. He knew now what it was that he had been feeling when he ran away.

He was afraid.

He was afraid of losing everything, of loving you, of himself. He felt so overwhelmed with everything, he was terrified of upsetting the balance of things. But now...he knew what he wanted. He knew he wanted to be with you. Sans was willing to try and work through his own hang ups to make something work with you. Sans knew that he loved you, even if it frightened him, even if he did not know what it would mean for him or for the story.

Stepping up to the front door, Sans was trying to come up with a good way to start a conversation with you about everything when the door flew open. Inside, stood a disheveled Papyrus.

“O-Oh! Hey, bro! What's-?”

“What did you do, Sans?” came Papyrus's quiet reply. Sans's eyes glanced at the garage, anxiety quickly overtaking him again.

“What are you talking about, Papyrus?”

“...The human is gone.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted to touch more upon Sans and Grillbz's relationship. In this story, Grillbz has this sort of paternal love for Papyrus and Sans and the skeletons really respect and admire him in turn. To Sans, Grillbz was like a father figure to him as he grew up, even if he never explicitly thought of it that way.
> 
> As always, check out my Tumblr for info about updates: http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/
> 
> If you like my writing and would like to support me so I can continue doing it, please consider becoming a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/MadamMerlise?ty=h


	19. The Voice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is going to get pretty weird, fair warning.

Running through the night, you had a sudden sense of deja vu. Sans had been the one running after you that time though, but you had no idea where he might have gone. Since he had teleported, he could be anywhere. You had no idea about the limitations of where he could and could not go, so you were unsure where to start. So, you decided to run back home. Maybe he had gone there? As your feet carried you away, you were lost in worry.

He had heard your confession. It was not like what you had said was untrue, you really did have romantic feelings for him, but you were hoping to have told him in a more direct way. You were hoping you would feel like you were in a better place emotionally before you told him. Thinking about it, you did not know if he was in a good place either. He had told you that teleporting was dangerous, right? Had he wanted to get away from you _that_ badly?

Your steps faltered as you got closer to the house, fumbling with the keys to the garage in your pocket. You stumbled in and felt your way around the dark room, calling out.

“Sans?! Sans, are you here?!”

The lights flipped on, startling you.

“Human? You are home early! How was your evening with Toriel and Frisk?” It was Papyrus, dressed up in his pajamas. Seeing how frazzled you were, he came closer, hesitantly taking hold of your shaking hands. “What is the matter? ...Where is my brother?”

The question broke something inside of you and your whole body started to shake. You threw your arms around Papyrus and held him tightly, burying your face into his chest.

“Papyrus I-I think I messed up. I don't know where Sans is and I think...I think I upset him,” you stammered. That was the only explanation for why he must have teleported, right? He had been uncomfortable? The though hurt you in a way you could not describe. Papyrus wrapped his own arms around you, petting your hair. He was always great at giving comforting hugs.

“Why do you say that, human? I find that hard to believe! You are a very kind person! Almost as kind as me, even!” Papyrus said. “Besides, Sans has a sense of humor, I'm sure you can talk through this!”

“I-I don't think so, Paps.”

“What is the matter? You can tell me!” You flushed as you looked up at him before deciding you had nothing left to lose anyway. Sans already knew.

“I...I love your brother.” Papyrus blinked before tilting his head at you with a question on his face.

“O-Oh? Well, I already knew that, you spend so much time together! I also love my brother!” Despite the severity of the situation, you had to giggle softly. You shook your head.

“No no, Paps, I'm like... _in_ love with Sans.”

“...I-Is that like infamous? Where you are so famous that you are _in_ -famous?”

“Papyrus...”

When Papyrus still seemed confused you pulled back to gesture with your hands, trying to think of something to say to explain how you felt. You wanted to hold hands with him? You did that with all of your friends. Same with hugs and cuddles. Looking at Papyrus and feeling more heat creep up into your face, you knew you would be unable to tell him that you wanted to kiss Sans. Instead, you thought about how he had reacted around Mettaton.

“The way I feel about Sans is the same way you feel about Mettaton.” Papyrus flushed bright orange at that, something finally clicking for him.

“Oh! I see! You want to take my brother out on a d-date!” You nodded, but Papyrus continued. “I-I see! ...Well! Er, h-human, please take good care of my brother! He is lazy and his jokes are often insufferable, but I love him dearly, just as I love you! You are a good friend and I cannot imagine someone more worthy to be date partners with him!” Your heart swelled at his blessing, but the joy was short-lived.

“Paps, that's real sweet of you, but I don't think it's going to work out...” Papyrus's mouth hung open.

“You are already breaking up with him?!” You shook your head emphatically, putting your hand under Papyrus's chin to shut his teeth together with a click.

“No, Papyrus. I don't think Sans feels the same. In fact...I think I upset him or something?”

You explained what had happened in the kitchen, skipping over the teleporting, simply saying Sans had run away. You did not know if Papyrus knew about Sans's powers and the last thing you wanted to do was talk about something that was not your business to tell. Through it all, the tall skeleton held onto you, listening intently. He had a small frown.

“I am sure Sans had a completely sensible reason for, er, running away, I'm sure if you just talked to him, things could be worked out.” However, the thought of facing Sans now made your heart squeeze with worry.

You needed to talk to somebody, but Papyrus was already a little too frantic. Where could you go? Who else could you talk to?

_You could call...her._

The thought came unbidden and you were almost startled by it. It was so vague and alien, almost like it was not your voice. However, with it there in your mind, it suddenly made sense.

You pulled away from the still shaking skeleton and reached into your pocket for your phone. Papyrus watched you with curiosity.

“Are you trying to call Sans?”

You shook your head, but did not respond verbally. You scrolled through your contacts before clicking on one, dialing the number. Pressing the phone to your ear, you listened to the ringing as Papyrus wrung his hands nervously. It only rang twice before a familiar voice answered

“Hello?”

“Hi, Mom.”

\-----

You were sitting in the living room, a cup of tea held tightly in both your hands. The clock ticked over the mantle piece, keeping time, making your fingers twitch. Your mother was sat in front of you, watching you anxiously.

“You haven't called in so long, dear. Where have you been?” she asked. You shrugged. It was not like you and your mother had a bad relationship, it was just hard to figure out whether or not she was on your side.

“You know, sweetie, you really ought to give Rory a call.” Like that, for example. You groaned. You had explained to her over the phone what had been going on, how he had been abusing you, but she seemed convinced that something could be salvaged of it. You did not blame her. She had never seen the abuse and, from what she had seen, he had always been generous and loving. You wished that she would just trust you.

Your mother prickled. “The poor boy was worried sick about you. He kept calling and calling, but I told him you weren't with me. He hasn't called in months now. ...Where _have_ you been, dear?”

“I told you, I've been staying with a friend.” It felt terrible to be vague, but if Rory had been calling, even if had not been for awhile, you were worried that your mother might tell him. It seemed your mother could tell you were being roundabout on purpose, but she backed down.

“Well, let him know where you're staying. I'm sure this will all blow over.”

The room settled into a heavy atmosphere. The clock was starting to tick you off. You grinned to yourself, thinking of Sans, but the private giggle was short-lived.

When you called, you had let her know that you were coming over. She had been surprised, but your tone must have worried her enough to agree to it. In your haste, you had not even grabbed any extra clothes. Why were you even there? Was the quiet, well-meaning judgment of your mother worth the headache? Something inside you told you that needed to be there, but you were not sure what.

_Calm down._

There it was again. It was in your head, but it did not sound like you. You rubbed at your forehead, making your mother's already concerned expression scrunch even tighter.

“Having problems with headaches, sweetie? I can go grab you a pain killer if you'd like.” Before you could respond, your mother hopped to her feet and shuffled off. She was a soft-spoken woman. She wanted to escape the awkward silence. Once again, how could you blame her?

As you were trying to figure out what to say, how to tell your very jumpy mother that you were in love with a literal skeleton, your eyes wandered around the room. Hanging on the walls were family photos. Some were older pictures of your mother and father before the divorce. They looked happy. It made your stomach clench. Beside it, was a picture of you when you were younger. Your mother used to like to put you hair up in pigtails. Your eyes were about to slide off to the next picture before the voice spoke up again.

_Look._

You were getting nervous, you were listening to a mysterious voice for goodness sake, but found yourself looking at the picture again.

It was a picture of you when you were smaller. You were sitting in your mother's lap. You had your hair down, short and blonde-

You gave a start.

No, no, your hair was in pigtails, right? And it was brown. Your hair was still brown, you had done it nicely for your visit to Toriel's, you _knew_ what your own hair looked like-

Your eyes refused to focus on the picture. It kept shifting and changing as you watched, your face morphing and distorting, the features ever changing. First your eyes were blue then they were green, all the while your hair sprouting and receding back and forth into your scalp, changing colors. Your hand drifted up to your own face. Despite everything, for some reason you knew...

_It's still you._

Without realizing it, you had stood up to approach the photo.

“Sweetie?” With your hand frozen, reaching out to grab the picture frame, you stilled. Your mother was calling out to you from the bathroom. “Do you prefer Aleve or Tylenol? I have Ibuprofen in here, too, if you'd like that instead.”

“Uh...”

Looking around, you saw that all the pictures were flashing, changing rapidly. Now your parents' faces were morphing, too. They were getting younger and older, changing colors and shapes and expressions. You shut your eyes, pressing your fingers hard against your eyelids. You could feel your breath quickening. Was this another panic attack? You had had nightmares, vivid ones, but nothing like this.

“Sweetheart?”

“A-Aleve, please!” you called back, pressing your hands more fully to your face.

Although the images in the pictures were shifting, you could feel your own features staying the same. Clutching at your hair, you risked a peek at it between your fingers. Brown. Why were none of the pictures staying the same?

_Don't you find it odd?_

Your eyes flashed open as you glanced frantically around the room. The voice had more strength now, it sounded even less like your own. It felt like it was coming from within you...or was it all around you? You could not tell. Panic was rising in your throat. For some reason, you felt like you might be sick.

“...odd?”

“What's 'odd', dear?” your mother called, but you were no longer listening to her voice, only the deep, thick voice engulfing you.

“ _Dear”? “Sweetheart”? Why has no one ever said your NAME?_

Even in the whirlwind of fear and distorted faces, you still registered what the voice had said. You thought hard about it. They, whoever they were...were right. No one had ever explicitly called you by name. You were always “kid” or “punk” or “buddy”.

_Why is that, child? Why do you think no one has said your name?_

“M-My name...?”

“What was that, sweetheart?” Almost indignantly, you found the strength to call back.

“What' my name?!”

There was a moment where everything was silent. Even the voice unraveling your world had paused to listen in. You heard your mother call back, confused.

“Y-Your name is _____, dear.”

____?

Suddenly, your ears were ringing. Mary. Jared. Corrine. Doug. Michelle. George. Claire. Alex. James. Emily. Robyn. A thousand more names that you could barely make out, all being said at once. Every single name was being repeated into your skull. They were all different. They were all you. How could they all be you? How could all those names belong to you?

The pounding in your head intensified.

_That's right. You are all. And you are nothing. But that does not mean you cannot be...your own._

“What does that _mean?!_ ” you cried out. The pain was unbearable, bringing you to your knees. Your fingers dug into your temples, scratching at the skin, the breath in your chest seizing in terror. “Shut up! _Shut up!_ ”

“What are you screaming about, _____?”

The names were shouted louder into your brain, making you wince. It was your mother, she had come out of the bathroom to see what was the matter. Looking up at her, you recoiled in horror.

Her body was shifting, bones reshaping, hair and face distorting. She reached out to you and you scrambled backwards, your back ramming painfully into the edge of the couch.

It was all too much.

You could not catch your breath and the squealing in your head was too much.

You passed out in a heap.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been so nervous about how people will respond to this, I really don't want to disappoint anyone. This has always sort of been my intention, especially since I've delved into Sans being aware of the meta. I hope it comes across alright.
> 
> As always, you can follow my Tumblr for info about updates: http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/
> 
> If you like my writing and would like to help me continue doing it, consider becoming my Patron: https://www.patreon.com/MadamMerlise?ty=h


	20. Lost and Found

Sans had worked himself into a frantic mess in your absence. It took all of his strength not to accidentally teleport again in his emotional state. Papyrus had explained that you had left to go see your mother and that you had asked that they leave you alone for awhile. It was not like either of them had a choice, they had no idea where your mother lived. Neither of them could ever recall you mentioning much about her. They hoped you were alright with her.

Even though he knew that you had asked to be alone, Sans was still itching to go find you. After his talk with Grillbz, he was as unsure as ever about what it was that he wanted to pursue with you, but he at least felt better about talking with you. He felt like he needed to say something to you, but he had no idea what he _would_ say if he saw you.

Sans could feel his magic bubbling up inside his bones, making him clench and unclench his hands repeatedly, trying to dissipate it. The last thing he needed was to pop away with Papyrus already worried sick. Instead, in an effort to channel his energy into something other than the growing buzz deep in his eye socket, Sans took to pacing around the living room. Papyrus sat on the couch, wringing his hands together and glancing between his brother, the clock on the wall, and the front door.

“B-Brother, please come sit down,” Papyrus said softly, patting the cushion beside him. Sans did not respond, focused too much on controlling himself. “They will be back shortly and everything will be resolved. The human just needs time by themselves.”

Sans felt like he had messed everything up before it had even truly began. He felt like such an idiot. Now you were out there someplace and he did not know when you would get back. Would you ever come back? Well, you had left all your things behind so of course you would come back, but it felt like such a real possibility to him.

When you were at your darkest moments, you had confessed your own desires to just disappear to him. You had talked about how much easier things would be if you did not exist. Sans had talked you out of it, all the while trying to quiet his own thoughts calling him a hypocrite. It had been a long time since you had felt that way, you seemed much happier now, but maybe he had undone all that. Had you even really gone to your mother's house?

Sans froze, unable to help the spark shoot from his eye when he was struck with the terrible thought. What if you had gone back to Rory? You would not do that...right? Or worse, what if Rory found _you_? Sans knew that he had been stalking you at work, he caught glimpses of his pathetic form in the alleyway across from the bar, but he had never approached so Sans let it slide. After awhile, the stalking had stopped and he had not seen Rory in months. He thought maybe the asshole had finally given up. Maybe he had been naive in thinking that? You had said the two of you had dated since high school so of course he would know where your mother lived.

“Sans! Get a hold of yourself!” The sharp voice was punctuated with a pair of hands on his shoulders, spinning him to face Papyrus. His brother still looked concerned, but this time he seemed frustrated, too.

“I-I'm sorry, bro, it's just-”

“Everything will be okay, Sans, I promise. Do you know why?” Papyrus said firmly. Sans could only shake his head. “The human explained to me that they would like to date you.”

While this thought did spark something inside of Sans, he could not help the pessimistic thoughts that crept in. His eye sockets darkened, no pupils to light them up, and his grin became tight.

“It...It isn't that simple, bro.”

“I think, dear brother...it is.” It was not often that Papyrus became stern like this so Sans was listening in rapt attention. “Even if you and the human do not work out as date friends, that does not mean you cannot be friends at all. It sounded to me like the human loves you very much, not just in the romantic sense either, but as a dear friend. They were more concerned about how _you_ were feeling when you left in such a hurry. They thought they had upset you. That is the same love you have for them, correct? More than anything, you want them to be happy. That is a love that cannot be destroyed by a simple misunderstanding, Sans.”

The words sunk into Sans, coaxing something out of him. He felt a warmth in his chest. As frightening as this whole evening had been, he had hope. He believed what Papyrus was telling him. He had believed in Grillbz, too. He needed to believe in you and the strength of your friendship, even if he was unsure how it would affect the story you both lived in. In the end, even if this was just a story being told, this was all the life he had ever known. Simply because a story had a finite end did not mean that the journey to The End was pointless. Sans wanted to experience all that this world's story had to offer for the both of you.

_That is what I was waiting for._

Sans jumped again, spinning his head wildly around. There was a voice speaking to him. It felt...familiar.

_I can take you to the human. They need you now._

Clutching at his skull, Sans tried to place the voice. It was filling him up, but it seemed to fill the space around him, too. Although it was just a sound, it had weight, pressing hard into his rib cage. Whatever it was, Papyrus could not hear it.

“B-Brother?! What is the matter?!”

Sans paid him no mind, instead addressing the voice.

“T-Take me to them!”

In a flash, Sans vanished, leaving Papyrus more frantic than ever.

\-----

It took a moment for Sans to realize that he was being teleported, opening his eyes to see the familiar void surrounding him. To where, he had no idea. There was a creeping feeling up his back and suddenly he felt as if he was not alone. There was no way anyone else should be there with him in that place, only he could teleport after all, but there was that sensation nonetheless.

Glancing around, he could recognize that he was nearing the end of this particular trip, the oppressive texture of the “air” in the void lessening the further he traveled forward. Right as he was about to breach back into the “real world”, he felt something let him go.

Looking down, he saw a pale disembodied hand drifting away from him. He tried to crane his neck around to see where it came from, something once again feeling nostalgic about it, but could only catch the glimpse of a slumped over figure. The hand disappeared within the undulating mass, a darker black than even the darkness of the space surrounding him, before a crooked face appeared.

It grinned at him.

\-----

Sans was greeted by a shriek as he almost tumbled over in a heap. Glancing around, he saw that the screaming was coming from a person nearby, but he shrunk away from them. Were they a person? They kept shifting and changing forms, much like the Amalgamates that Alphys had inadvertently created. He had never seen this kind of monster before though so he could not help his apprehension.

In fact, looking around more, he could see that the pictures in the picture frames were also moving. There was no way those were monsters, they were supposed to be static images on paper. Why were they moving? In his confusion, Sans almost tripped over your leg. He hurriedly knelt down beside you, calling out to you, but you were passed out.

“Wh-Who are you?! What are you doing to my _daughter?!_ ” the shifting form screeched at him. Sans tried to make sense of what was being said. This thing was your mother?

“I-I-I'm her friend, uh, ma'am...? What's wrong with them?” The woman, at least he thought it was a woman, came closer to you, kneeling down also.

“I don't know! She just started to scream and when she saw me, sh-she fainted!”

_They have started to realize what they are, who they were created to be._

Sans squeezed his eyes shut, realizing now that it was the same voice as before. It did not seem malicious. Still, he did not understand why you would begin to realize that you were a Reader. Was that why your mother's face was changing? Why the pictures of you and your family were shifting and morphing the way that they were? What had happened?

_I set these things into motion. It was time that they learned the truth. From what I have seen, the only thing holding you back from being with them is that they are a Reader. So, I believe the best way to fix this is if they...were not._

“You can't just _do_ that somebody?!” Sans cried out, making your mother jump back. “You can't just show somebody that their life is a lie all of a sudden! You can't do that! Do you know how hard that is to deal with?! Do you know how...how _pointless_ you feel?!”

“Y-You're crazy!” your mother yelled, but Sans ignored her, instead waiting for the voice's response.

_Do you still feel pointless?_

Sans stammered. “N-No, not-”

_'Not anymore'? And yet you know that you exist within a story. It takes time to deal with these sorts of things, but it is not impossible for them to understand. They simply need to fashion an identity for themselves. An image. A name. It has already begun._

There was a pounding at the door. Your mother scrambled to her feet, giving you and Sans a large amount of space as she went to answer it. Sans was still only listening to the voice.

_I can help you, both of you, achieve your happiness. However, it has to start like this, with their whole perception of their reality falling apart. After all, it is not an easy feat figuring out who you are._

“Oh thank god you're here! There's a crazed monster in my house hunched over my daughter and I don't know what to do!”

Despite the energy in the room, Sans still felt his bones stiffen at the voice that answered your mother.

“Don't worry, ma'am, I'll take care of it.”

With all the strength he could muster, Sans lifted up your limp frame into his arms, ready to flee with you. He turned only to be met by the last person he wanted to see.

“Hey there, asshole.”

It was Rory. He looked absolutely ragged, his clothes disheveled and his hair matted and long. Even so, his features were also shifting. He had never been given a defined form either.

“Her mother called me up a little while ago. She knew how worried I'd be about my _sweetheart_.” The word sounded poisonous coming from his mouth. He sneered at the sight of you held close to Sans's chest. “I had a feeling the little whore would shack up with you.”

The energy in Sans's eye began to spark and fizzle, flashing more and more rapidly. He squeezed you protectively to his rib cage, staring Rory down.

_Calm down._

But Sans refused.

“Didn't you learn you lesson on the beach, buddy?” Sans spat. Rory's smug expression fell for a moment. “So unless you want a repeat of last time, you better _sea_ yourself out.”

_He is just trying to rile you up. Leave. Now._

“This ain't the same as that night on the beach, dickhead,” Rory chuckled. He tugged at his collar, revealing his neck and shoulder. Sans stumbled back. Wrapped tightly around him were thick, green vines. “Seems I'm not the only one who wants you gone.”

_Sans. Go. I mean it. Get out of there._

The vines began to squirm and a flower bud popped up beside Rory's cheek. It bloomed, revealing a smiling face. Your mother almost fainted, too.

“Howdy! Remember me?” Sans was silent, but the flower giggled and pressed on. “What am I saying? Of _course_ you remember me!” The face twisted into a devilish grin. “I'm the one who almost killed you!”

_Oh for god's sake._

There was a loud pop and you and Sans vanished, leaving Rory, your mother, and the flower standing alone in the living room. There was a pause before Rory cursed and kicked at the couch, sending it over on itself and knocking over a lap that shattered. The flower simply smiled gently, curling back into itself, ready and waiting for when you would return.

It seemed that everything was going according to plan.

\-----

Sans opened his eyes to find that he had been thrust back into the void with you still in his arms. He patted at your face and you groaned softly, coming to.

_Honestly, you should have returned here on your own. What were you thinking?_

You and Sans both winced as your eyes fluttered open.

“God, there's that voice again...” you mumbled. With a start, you realized you were in Sans's arms. “O-Oh! Hey!”

_Awkward greetings can be skipped over, time is of the essence._

The voice had shifted. No longer was it in your heads, but it was coming from beside you. Turning, you saw a pile of tar beginning to build into a taller form. As the shape grew, a face appeared, although it looked more like a mask. The features of it did not move. White hands came out and took your arms, guiding you to stand. Sans kept a tight grip on your hand, although it was not out of fear. He began to tremble.

“I-Is that...?”

The form spoke, although it did not move its mouth.

_Hello, son. It has been a long time._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now you know who this mysterious voice is. Also the unfortunate return of Rory. Can't wait to post the next chapter!
> 
> As always, follow my Tumblr for updates: http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/
> 
> If you'd like to help support me and my writing, consider becoming a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/MadamMerlise?ty=h // Or buy me a coffee: http://bit.ly/1QeeNTP


	21. Nothing Without A Price

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Translations for signs are at the bottom in the notes.

You looked between Sans and the figure before something clicked inside your head.

“You're...! You're Dr. Gaster! You're Sans's _father!_ ” A soft sad laugh escaped the figured as it nodded in affirmation.

_Yes, you are correct, human. It is a pleasure to finally meet you._

Moving forward, you were reaching out to touch a floating hand that had its palm open in greeting to you, but you felt Sans pull at your shirt hard. He tugged you behind him, his eye flashing brightly. Sweat was dripping off his skull. The arm across your body keeping you back was shaking.

“H-How is this possible?!” he demanded.

_Sans, it is entirely possible. I am right here after all._ Gaster's voice was strange, distant and tinny, like he was speaking from the end of a long hallway. His mouth never moved.

“How are you talking? Gaster doesn't talk!” Sans growled, his pupil moving between the hands in the air and the figure in front of him. Gaster drew his hands back closer to himself, slouching even more.

_This is true. I am not truly speaking to you. This place...has changed me. I have many powers here._ One of the hands gestured and suddenly there was a bright red couch behind you and Sans. Gaster had created a tatty brown armchair for himself, oozing his body onto it. He waved a hand at where his throat might have been if he had a solid form. _I can give myself a voice, although I am not speaking in a traditional sense. I simply think and you hear. Believe me, Sans. Despite my appearance and my speech...despite everything...it is still me._

The longer you watched him, the more your could see that, while his “face” was not moving, his entire body was constantly in motion, dripping and cascading over itself. Sometimes bits of him would drip right off of him, falling away into droplets that rose upwards before disappearing. He had folded his hands into his “lap”, a third hand appearing, motioning for the two of you to sit. You put a hand on Sans's shaking wrist, getting his attention.

“Sans...I think he's telling the truth,” you whispered. You pressed your fingers into his sleeve and he trembled before looking back at the man in the chair.

“I...It's hard to, uh...believe all this is happening...”

Instead of speaking, the figure unfolded his hands. He pointed at his temple before bringing the hand down to grasp his other hand that was open and laying flat*. You might not have known sign language, but you could tell that is what it was. Whatever he said, it seemed to resonate with Sans. The blue fire in his eye disappeared, leaving his sockets empty. You could see that small beads of tears were collecting at the corners of his eyes. With a gentle hand, you guided him to sit on the couch, holding onto him.

“How is this possible?” Sans repeated, emotion making his voice thick. Gaster sighed softly, his face turned more towards the floor.

_On the day of the accident, the machine consumed me. This place became a part of me and...it became a small part of you, Sans. That is how you can travel through this place. The void touched your SOUL, altering your magic forever. I can exist here, but I am not truly alive...I am stuck in this place. But that is not important right now._ He lifted his face, his empty eye sockets looking right through you.  _Human...You are very special to so many people._

You flushed.

“Th-Thank you...”

_Do not misunderstand. I do not simply mean the people who you know, whose names are held close to your heart. No...I am speaking of the people who are outside of our – well, your – realm of existence. You are important to them._

“I...I'm not sure I understand what you mean.”

“Gaster...please don't do this...” Sans pleaded, but Gaster spoke over him.

_You...are a Reader._

You did not understand, but something inside you squeezed tightly, like you were being told something incredibly important. Sans was frantic again, his hand finding yours to tangle your fingers together. He stayed silent as you both waited for Gaster to continue.

_The world you exist in...has been created by someone to be enjoyed by others. They view the world you live in with omniscient eyes, standing by as an audience to the story that is unfolding around you. Your purpose in this story...is to embody their hopes and dreams._

“I don't...What? So I'm just...what? What am I?” you mumbled. Your head was hurting. It was so much to take in.

_You are like a vessel. People read your story and put themselves in your place so that they might live through you. Perhaps they do it for the enjoyment...Perhaps it is an escape. Regardless, there are many Readers across many universes. Sans and I had seen them, taken note of their existence and their purpose. It seems all the events in their universe revolve around them, everything orchestrated to their benefit._

It was starting to sink in. Everything you had been through, every moment you had shared with someone else...Did it really matter? Did any of what you did matter? If everything was being written out, was any of what you felt real? Were you just an instrument in someone else's fantasy?

Gaster's face turned to Sans as he continued.  _Sans has known this from the beginning._

You turned sharply to face Sans, his face strained as he continued to sweat.

“G-Gast-!”

“You _knew_ about all of this?” you said, finding yourself standing up, both Gaster and Sans watching you nervously. “If you...If you knew, why didn't you tell me?!” Sans had also stood up, his hands up in defense.

“I-I-It's not that simple, pal-”

“Don't call me 'pal'! I have a _name!_ ” you shouted. All at once, the thousands of voices came rushing back, and you clutched at your ears. “Those...Those are _not_ my name! I have my own name! I am my own person!” You had not realized your eyes were squeezed shut until they flashed open, startled by the sensation of someone's hands on top of your own. Gaster had slid towards you, looming over you, his hollow skull empty, but kind.

_That is true, you are your own person. Your struggles were not for nothing. You are unique to this universe. While you are a Reader, that does not mean you are not you._ He tried to pry your hands away from your ears, but you shook your head, closing your eyes again.

“I don't...understand!” you sobbed.

_Listen to me, child...You have been given a name and a face and a presence by all who have stood in your shoes, but there have been hints that I have seen that the creator of this world would like to make you all your own._

“The...creator?”

_The Author. They have thought about you and created you with a purpose, but also see now that you cannot be truly happy while you stay this way. Sans has been...afraid. He is afraid about much the same things that I am sure you are. “Does it matter?” “Do I really care or is this supposed to happen?” Tell me...Does this feel real?_

You were silent.

Real? What was real? Real in the sense that you were there, living and breathing? Real in that you were terrified? You could feel your heart racing in your chest. That was real. You caught sight of Sans behind Gaster, watching you with an unreadable expression. That person who had helped you through your hardships, the one who you could always rely on...Your heart swelled.

“This feels real to _me_...” you whispered. “I...I _feel_ real.”

Gaster pulled at your hands once more and you let them fall away this time, grasping onto his cold bony fingers.

_Then you are real. This,_ he gestured between you and Sans,  _is real._

With a third hand, he grasped onto Sans's, making him jump. The hand pulled the skeleton between Gaster and you. The floating hands slowly touched Sans and your hands together, pressing them against each other until your fingers intertwined. Sans's pupils had returned and they were scanning your face, a soft blue tinge to his cheekbones. You were sure you were flushed, too.

_Realizing this is not the only thing you must do,_ Gaster said, interrupting the moment with an embarrassed cough. Sans rubbed at his skull nervously, but you smiled, guiding him back to the couch as you continued to listen.

_Now that you are certain this is who you are, you must come up with your appearance. You are part way there. Readers who are destined to remain Readers have no solid form, they are given no description, and thus are left up to interpretation, assumedly by those who observe their story. That is why your mother and family, and Rory for that matter, appear the way they do to those who learn the truth about their universe. However...that is not the case with you._

He stepped closer and took a handful of your dark brown hair into his hand, letting it loosely trickle through his fingers into messy waves. His other hand had patted at your arm, pinching at the fabric of your sweater. Now your tan skin was flushed out of shyness rather than embarrassment, curious as to the sudden attention you were receiving. Sans, however, was in awe of you, apparently seeing you with new eyes.

“Y-You're changing!”

_The Author has begun to describe you. You are taking on a solid, unique appearance because of this. Stand up!_ Gaster suddenly demanded, struck with an idea. _Look at Sans and make observations about yourself in relation to him!_

Sitting, you were about the same height as the broad skeleton, but standing, you realized you were about a head taller than him. How had you never noticed? You were about the same width as him also. Part of you wished you were more graceful and dainty, but as you really looked at yourself, you could see the strength in your arms. Nothing extreme. You were solid.

“All the heavy lifting in the storeroom at work must be helping...” you said suddenly, turning your arms this way and that. Sans could not help the chuckle.

“So I guess you're _stocky_ , huh?”

The three of you giggled at that, but it was cut short by the sound of a fizzle and pop. Gaster groaned, slumping over, his hands covering his eyes. Sans had rushed over to him, putting his arm around his father's shifting form. You came closer, grabbing at a stray hand that had inexplicably manifested beside you.

“Gaster! What's wrong?” Sans said. Slowly, dark droplets began to rise and pool on the surface of Gaster's face, sliding down in what you assumed was sweat.

_I told you that time was of the essence, Sans. It has...taken a lot of my strength to keep you here...to keep you safe. This place...nothing is meant to survive here if it abuses its power. The void is...consuming me as we speak._

“Why didn't you _say_ anything?” Gaster shook his head.

_This was not about me. This is your story, not mine._ A hand came up to pat at Sans's cheek, making some of his fresh tears trickle out of his eye sockets, tipping out like pouring water.  _I did all this for your happiness, son...You have...suffered so much...for me. Please live your life. See your story to The End._

The fizzling static sound returned and you turned to see that the chair and couch had vanished. In Sans's arms, Gaster's edges to his form were growing fuzzy. The skeleton did not notice, clutching at the figure that began to drip through his fingers.

“I want you to be in my story! Y-You can't go again! I can't...I can't lose you again!” Sans choked out. “I'll get you out of here, Gaster!”

_Son...I am not going to exist for much longer. Please...You need to let me go._

There was a loud rumble and you felt something resonating from deep within the darkness around you. For some reason, you knew that you could not stay here much longer. Whatever Gaster was doing to keep you here the way that you were, it was not going to hold up for long. Sans seemed ready to continue on, but no words came out. Instead, he bent his head forward, tapping his forehead to Gaster's and letting his tears flow openly. He spoke softly, a broken kind of acceptance evident in his tone.

“I'm sorry...I didn't mean for you to end up this way. I'm sorry that accident happened. I'm sorry I was such an idiot. I-I should've ran! I should've _done_ something!”

Sans stopped short, feeling a tap at his shoulder. A pair of hands motioned for him to give Gaster space and, reluctantly, he complied, standing up beside you. Gaster's form wobbled, moving as if he was attempting to stand. One hand pointed at himself before coming back and brushing at his palm, flicking his fingers from his wrist to his fingertips a few times. Then he pointed at Sans**. Whatever he had said, made Sans croak in pain.

_I am dropping you off in a safe place. Please...do not come back here. There will be nothing here for you anymore._

There was the sensation of being pulled backwards by your middle and you and Sans were suddenly moving further away. You gasped, grasping at Sans's arm as he reached out a hand at Gaster's slowly vanishing form. Parts of the good doctor were decaying more rapidly now, larger chunks of his body rising up and away to oblivion.

“ _Dad!_ ”

While you could still see him, Gaster began to sign once more. He pointed at himself then fisted his hands, crossing them over each other to bump opposite “shoulders” before pointing at Sans***. With that, Gaster disappeared into pieces.

In a flash, you were suddenly overwhelmed with sound and color. You and Sans had been tossed unceremoniously onto the ground. Gathering yourself, you looked around to see that you were under the tree in the park. A sharp crackling sound made you jump, bringing your focus back to Sans. Curled up in a ball, he was clutching at his skull.

The entire side of his face was engulfed in dark blue flames.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *BELIEVE  
> **I FORGIVE YOU  
> ***I LOVE YOU
> 
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	22. Aftermath

Sans was shaking and mumbling to himself, the flames pouring out of his eye socket moving out past his fingers. He had gotten up on his knees, but could not muster the strength to stand. His magic was taking so much out of him and the flames were just getting wilder. You hurried to get closer, but flinched away from the heat when you tried to touch him. Every inch of him was burning hot.

“Sans?!” you shouted, but he did not seem to hear you.

You could not make out what he was saying, but he was obviously distraught. The sight of Gaster vanishing for good had broken something inside of him. Tears were pouring out of his other eye, evaporating quickly from the heat. Even his mouth, something you had never seen change, was open slightly, smoke and eventually blue fire poking out between his teeth. He was a mess and you had no idea what to do to help him. If he stayed like this, what would happen to him?

Finally, his incoherent babbling started to make more sense.

“He's gone...He's gone...He's really gone...I couldn't...I couldn't _save_ him...” Sans winced and the light in his eye grew brighter. His jacket had caught on fire, the fluff around his neck igniting. You tried to pat it out, stirring him to finally look at you. “I'm...I'm sorry...I can't do this...”

With that, the fire spread down his neck and across his shoulder. His jacket was blackened and glowing orange in places where the blue flames had caught. A terrible thought twisted inside of you. Sans was going to let his magic consume him. Unbidden, tears sprang up in your eyes as you crept closer, despite the heat, kneeling in front of him.

“H-He forgave you, Sans. There was nothing you could have done for him-”

“I didn't even _try!_ ” he suddenly bellowed, the fire rising up in a pillar that licked at the leaves of the tree you were taking refuge under. You pressed on.

“He loved you, Sans. He understood that you were afraid. He understood and he _forgave_ you for it. Don't...Don't do this,” you ended weakly. Sans just shook his head.

“No...I deserve this...”

Orange cinders were rising up to join the blue flames and the smoke was making your eyes sting. You could not leave him.

“You _don't_ deserve this. Sans, please...!”

He had stopped listening again. Silently, he looked up at the tree, some of the leaves now catching fire. It was then that you made a decision. Bracing yourself, you threw your arms around him, one of your hands clutching at the back of his skull and the other gripping tightly into his back. Sans's eyes widened in surprise as you cried out in pain.

“H-Hey! Get off of me!” He tried to push you away, but his strength had been sapped by the huge expense of his magic. “You're hurting yourself!”

“Y...You're hurting y-yourself, too!” you stammered out.

The pain was unlike anything you had ever experienced. Every nerve in your hand was screaming in agony, the skin on your palm blistering and tender almost immediately from the heat. Your arm was hot as well, but your sweater was shielding you from the brunt of the flames. Still, you could feel the fire quickly devouring the loose wool of the fabric, creeping up your arm. Sans had given up on pushing you away, instead trying to smack the flames off of your sleeve. His hand was on fire now so it did little to combat the flames.

“Let-! Let go of me!” Sans said, panic consuming him as he heard you sob, your fingers on his skull twitching. Every part of you was telling you to let go, the pain was too much, but you refused.

“N-No!” you ground out. The flames had finally made their way up your shoulder. You were faintly aware of the smell of burning hair and the heat on your neck. Sans could see it thought, his flashing blue iris shrinking slightly in terror.

“Your hair! Please...buddy, you-”

He was silenced by the feeling of you gripping him tighter. You turned and pressed your lips to the corner of his mouth, the twinge of pain you felt on your own mouth barely registering. You looked up at him, seeing his shocked expression. Behind him, the tree's leaves were fully aflame now. The air was filled with smoke and the crackling sound of the roaring fire.

“I...I don't want to be your 'buddy' o-or your 'pal'!” you choked out. “I just...I just figured out what I want to be with y-you! Please! Give me the chance!”

The pain was beginning to overcome you. Faintly, you were aware of the sound of sirens in the distance. Your grip was beginning to slip, but now Sans was clutching at you. When had it become so difficult to breathe?

“Please...s-stay...”

Sans was saying something to you, but you could not understand. Your hands went limp as you passed out.

\-----

The first thing you registered when you became conscious again was the gross sterile smell of the hospital. It smelled like alcohol and dust. You groaned, trying to bring your arm up to your forehead to rub at your eyelids, but were surprised to feel a tug on the inside of your arm where you elbow bent. Opening your eyes, you could see there was an IV stuck in you.

“HUMAN!”

You jumped and squeaked in surprise before realizing that you were not alone. Standing around the bed were all your monster friends. Undyne and Alphys were holding hands, Toriel and Frisk were near the head of your bed, Papyrus was on your other side, and even Grillbz was there. You noticed that they all seemed to be holding gifts.

Papyrus was the one who had shouted and now he was leaning over to closely inspect your face. Grillbz put a hand on his shoulder to draw him back to give you some space. Your boss then pressed his gift into your hands. It was a large bottle of wine with a bright red bow around the neck. As you grasped it, you noticed that your right hand was wrapped in bandages. Your whole side stung and ached now that you were more awake.

“The doctors said you would need a few weeks to recover. You suffered burns up to your neck, but the worst of it was in your hand. So, you're going to take a few weeks off to get better.” Grillbz pulled out an envelope, placing it on your table beside the bed. “Here's your paycheck in advance.”

You pulled yourself more upright, feeling around for the button to make your bed rise up against your back as you began to protest. Grillbz put his hand up to quiet you, shaking his head. He let his hand fall on Papyrus's shoulder, patting it gently.

“I raised these boys and you take good care of them. This is my thanks to you.”

That was when you finally had the sense to realize your group of friends was missing one crucial member.

“Where's Sans? Is he okay?” you asked frantically. Toriel made a soft shushing sound when she noticed your heartbeat pick up.

“He is waiting outside, child. He did not know if you wanted to see him,” she said quietly.

“What a _bonehead!_ ” you could not help blurting out. “Of _course_ I want to see him!”

“I'll go get him for ya, kid. I need to get back to the bar anyway,” Grillbz replied. He waved his goodbyes before stepping out. Undyne and Alphys stepped up, holding out three gifts.

“You really gave us a scare there, punk!” Undyne said, laughing nervously. “But hey! On the bright side, the doc said the burns on your hand were so bad you'll get some _wicked_ scars!”

Alphys cleared her throat before nudging Undyne.

“M-Maybe we shouldn't talk about that...”

“No, it's okay!” you interrupted. “Besides, chicks dig scars, right Undyne?” You gave her a thumbs up, trying to reassure her. She was not always the best at being sympathetic, but you could tell she had been worried about you and was trying her best to not let it show. She returned your grin with a big, toothy smile of her own, Alphys letting out a quiet sigh of relief.

The gifts they had given you were a set of finger-less gloves from Undyne (“to make you look super cool if you want to keep your scars covered up”), some new charms and gadgets for your phone from Alphys, and an almost comically huge bouquet of roses from Mettaton (“h-he couldn't be here, his tour manager was already mad he sk-sk-skipped out on Thanksgiving”).

Papyrus had, of course, whipped you up a batch of his spaghetti. You took a bite and found that, while it was a little salty, it was actually his best attempt yet. You told him so, earning a delighted squeal from him and his patented excited expression, complete with magical sparkles he could not help making appear. He lamented the fact that it would be difficult to hug you while you were recovering and you agreed. Papyrus gave the best hugs, but with your neck and arm hurting the way it was, it would be hard to enjoy them.

The feeling of someone taking your hand drew your attention to Toriel and Frisk. Frisk had picked up your hand and wrapped a bright purple bandage around one of your fingers. They also produced a card with a big smiley face on the front. It read “Get Well Soon!” in block text. Opening it, you saw that Frisk had scrawled a message.

_When I was going through a bad time, a bandage always made me feel better. I hope your recovery is a speedy one! - Frisk_

You held your hand up to look at the bandage, wiggling your fingers happily. They were right, the sight of it filled you with a strong determination to get better as soon as you could. You beckoned for them to lean down so you could ruffle their hair, being mindful of your injuries. They smiled bashfully before motioning for Toriel to move forward.

She had brought some cinnamon sugar cookies and it was a positively enormous batch. She set the basket on the table on your opposite side with an audible thump.

“Grillby was right, you do take good care of the both of them. Without you, Sans might not have...returned...” she said. “Thank you for...keeping my dear friend safe...”

You both looked at each other, almost seemingly coming to a silent understanding. She still loved him, you could tell, but she seemed to wish you both well. You hoped that she would be alright regardless, unable to help the guilt that you felt as her smile did not quite reach her sad eyes. You took her hand, patting it with the other one. She was a good person. You doubted you would have been as mature if the roles had been reversed.

In a rush, she said that she had to leave, ushering Frisk along with her. Undyne and Alphys also seemed in a hurry to leave. They all left together and the room felt much emptier without them. You appreciated their gifts. Your friends were incredible.

“Human...” Papyrus's uncharacteristically soft voice drew your attention. He had a sad expression on his face again and it squeezed at your heart. Scooting over in the bed a little, you patted the space you had made to invite him to sit with you. Hesitantly, he plopped down.

“My brother did not explain to me what exactly occurred while you both were missing. He...” His voice caught for a moment. “He simply vanished. He had done it before, when he thought I was not looking, but when he left that night...I must admit to you, I was very frightened for him!”

Despite the ache in your shoulder protesting your movements, you reached out to wrap an arm around his shoulders, trying to coax him to continue.

“When...When he called me yesterday, I was so relieved. However, I could tell that something was very wrong. He told me that you were here at the hospital and, of course, being the diligent friend that I am, hurried over here to visit. When I saw him...he was a mess,” Papyrus mumbled. “His jacket was practically falling off of him and he had your sweater in his hands. He...He was crying. He told me his magic had gone out of control and he hurt you.”

Papyrus waited to see your response. You did not want to tell him about Gaster yet, it was not necessarily your story to tell, but you had to be honest about the loss of control. You explained that Sans had gotten very upset and lost control. His blue fire was what had given you your injuries. Papyrus shook his head sadly.

“I could never do anything like what he can do with his eye. My magic does not manifest as strongly. I was...always worried something like this would happen. But you! Human! You made sure he was alright! There is no doubt in my mind that you and my brother would be perfectly suited for each other!”

“Maybe you should let us figure that out, bro.”

Papyrus jumped off of your bed, revealing Sans standing just inside the doorway. His cheekbones were dark blue. You were sure you were blushing fairly deeply as well. After a beat, you lifted your bandaged hand to wave, making Sans wince.

“Hey.”

“...Hey.”

Papyrus looked between the two of you before making a beeline for the door.

“I just remembered! I need to go to the bathroom!” he shouted, abandoning you to deal with what he had said yourself. You and Sans were shocked for a moment before you covered your face with your palms and laughed, embarrassed.

“G-God, did he really _say_ that?” you giggled. You felt your bed shift as Sans took the spot Papyrus had conveniently abandoned.

“No _bones_ about it...everyone ships us,” Sans chuckled.

You peeked between your fingers to see Sans watching you, his expression soft. Reaching out for him, you silently asked for a hug. He hesitated, obviously bashful and also concerned about your injuries, but at the insistence of your wiggling fingers, he complied. He leaned over, resting the side of his head on your chest, lazily throwing his arm across you while you wrapped him with yours. It was not really a hug, but you did not mind. You wanted him close to you.

“You scared the shit out of me,” he confessed. You barked out a nervous laugh.

“I could say the same to you!”

His eyes closed as he listened to the faint thrum of your heartbeat. He could also feel the confident strength of your SOUL within you, humming softly in contentment.

“I'm sorry that I hurt you...”

“You didn't mean to.”

It was quiet for a moment before he spoke up again.

“I'm sorry I ruined your sweater.”

“Pffft, I don't mind.”

Sans pushed away for a second to produce a gift of his own. He had wrapped it rather crudely, attempting to tie a bow before scrawling his name on the wrapper instead of on the name tag. You tore into it in excitement, revealing a cardigan. It was a soft teal color, large and warm, just how you liked your cardigans. You pressed it to your face happily, enjoying the familiar scent of Papyrus and Sans's fabric softener. He must have remembered how you had told him once how comforting the smell was to you.

“I felt, uh, pretty bad about it. So I bought you a new one.”

“Thank you...”

He shuffled a little before rubbing at the back of his skull nervously. Sans cleared his throat.

“So, uh...” You could tell what he was wanting to ask and you could not help the giggle that escaped you. “Shit, d-don't laugh, haha.”

Suddenly, an idea springing to your mind, you grinned and held out the sweater.

“Touch this.”

“Uh,” he replied eloquently, doing as you asked.

“Does this feel like _girlfriend material_ to you?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun Fact: This is how Reader figured out that teal is her favourite color!
> 
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	23. A New Normal

The doctor had prescribed painkillers and antibiotics as well as recommending a special herbal soak for your arm. Undyne had been right, the doctor also said you would have some prominent scars from your hand up to midway up your arm. The other burns were not quite as serious, but still were sore from the whole ordeal. The doctor had wrapped your hand firmly with pressure bandages, quirking her brow at the bright purple bandage on your finger. You blushed and explained that it was from a friend. She nodded, but explained that you would need to regularly change your bandages. When you told Frisk later, they returned with a box full of multicolor bandaids. The sentiment of their gift never lost its weight for you.

The next few days rolled along easily. It was almost as if a weight had been lifted from your shoulders. Sans also seemed more at ease, more comfortable at least in showing affection. He would rub his bony thumb over your fingers as you held hands, making you giggle at the soft sensation. He rarely left your side and it was never for very long.

It got to the point though that you had to gently remind Sans that it was just your hand that had been hurt and that you could everything else just fine. The first night back at the house, he seemed ready to carry you over the threshold. He had even offered to help you into the bath, his face bright blue, which you quickly declined, blushing deeply yourself.

Despite your protests, you found his fretting endearing. Sans clung to you, almost afraid to leave you be. He still was trying to process the whole ordeal, from you becoming less of a Reader to losing Gaster all over again.

“Everything feels so, uh...fragile, y'know?” he had quietly confessed one night. The two of you were watching TV and he had suddenly laid on his side with his head in your lap, facing your stomach. You rubbed slow circles across his skull, pressing your fingers into his temple as you felt his breath faintly through the cloth of your shirt. He had hummed in contentment, shutting his eyes. “I'm just waiting for everything to be different again. It's strange not having this...pressure on me anymore. I can just... _be_ with you.”

After that, you let him help you more. You knew that it would bring him some peace of mind and you did not mind being doted on a little. You never took him up on the help in the bath though. Both of you were still too shy for that.

It had been a full week after you had come home and Sans had surprised you in the kitchen, rubbing a hand up along your back as you were sneaking Christmas cookies. The sensation made you sigh, smiling at him easily as he sidled up beside you to grab a cookie for himself, too.

“How're you feeling, _sugar?_ ” he mumbled, pressing the tree-shaped sugar cookie to his teeth. Sans had taken to giving you affectionate nicknames as opposed to his generic “buddy” and “pal”. While you had an appearance now, you still could not think of a name for yourself. It was all still very muddled in your mind, although, faintly, it seemed like something was finally coming forward. You could not be sure yet. Regardless, you smiled, leaning over sideways to press your cheek to the top of his skull.

“I'm doing alright, _sweetie._ ”

He chuckled, flushing slightly, before he spoke again.

“Wanna get outta the house today? I know you've been cooped up for a little bit. Maybe we could make, uh, a date out of it? What do you say?”

A thrill shot through you at his shy use of the word “date” and you nodded excitedly.

Neither of you knew what you wanted to do specifically, but he released his grip on you so you could get changed. Once again he offered some help, asking if you needed some support as you changed. If you did not know Sans better and the way he was always averting his eyes when he asked, you would have thought he was just trying to get in you pants. The way it stood though, you both knew that neither of you were ready for that and he really did just want to help you if you needed it. You declined with a gentle smile before hurrying to the garage to go through your things.

As you brushed out your hair, you admired the way you looked in the mirror. The teal cardigan had fit you perfectly and looking at it had made you realize that it just be your favorite color. Shortly after leaving the hospital, you asked Sans to take you the hairdresser's so you could fix up your mangled locks. The fire had burned the ends, with one half of your hair now being shorter than the other side, so you just wanted to even it out. Sitting in the chair with Sans hovering nearby, he had quietly apologized about it. Looking at yourself now, you still believed you looked nice with the short hair, pushing at the waves to give them more bounce.

Your brown eyes sparkled as you thought about the evening ahead of you. With a start, you grinned at your reflection. Your eyes had changed color! They were a dark brown, matching your hair. All dressed and ready, you bounded out of the room, excited to show Sans this final development in your appearance.

\-----

The night was chilly, but neither of you minded it. Sans and you walked hand in hand down the street, no end goal in mind, simply enjoying each others company. The skeleton pointed out different things along your walk, asking you questions about what you saw. You were still discovering things about yourself so he had been helping you find out your favorite things by asking you questions about the things around you.

It felt so easy being with him. Hardly anything had changed about your relationship together, you both just felt closer to one another. You held hands more often, shared more quiet talks, and had more intimate conversations. The only thing was that you both seemed shy about pursuing anything physical. You had not even kissed since that night under the tree. Neither of you minded of course, there was no rush, and both of you were happy to hold one another.

It must have been because you were thinking about it, but the two of you found yourselves at that park again. Even in the cold wetness of the evening, you could still pick out the lingering smell of smoke. There was caution tape around the tree, but you and Sans approached it, Sans more sheepish in his motions, as you both looked up at the blackened tree.

The fire had consumed the hanging leaves, leaving the branches dark and bare. Some twigs crunched under your feet and even the grass was still black from the encounter. Sans sighed and rubbed at the back of his skull, shuffling his feet.

“I feel, uh...pretty bad about the tree, too,” Sans whispered as you leaned over the tape to touch the bark of the tree.

“Gaster was right, this was our 'safe place',” you said, voice just as soft, making Sans's glowing pupils fix on you instead of the tree. “We talked about so much under here. This is where I told you about Rory and you...told me about your father. It's kind of silly, but I'm kind of attached to this tree. I hope they don't tear it down or anything...”

You trailed off, leaning back to see your gloves were covered in soot from the tree bark. Sans reminded silent, apparently lost in thought, before he released your hand to curve his arm around your waist. The touch startled you out of your own thoughts as he turned you to face him. Neither of you said anything, but the look in his eyes seemed to say so much. He pulled you into an embrace and you held him with your hands draped around his shoulders, resting your chin on his forehead.

“I'm still...so scared I'm gonna lose you, babe...” he choked out. “Things are different now and I don't...I don't know how to get used to it.”

You brought a soothing hand up to the base of his neck, rubbing at the vertebrae there. He shuddered at the touch, relaxing in your arms. Still, he continued.

“And Rory and Flowey are working together now...What are we going to do about them?”

You shook your head, hugging him tighter to you. Neither of you knew what to do about them, but you had come to a tentative agreement not to worry about it right now as you were recovering. Neither of you could do much about them anyway, not yet at least. Still, you would be lying if you were not as nervous as Sans was about them coming to find the two of you. After a moment of silence, with Sans now rubbing circles into your back, you quietly spoke up.

“We can do it. We'll keep working on it until this becomes our new normal.” You pulled back slightly to get him to look you in the eyes and you smiled. “I really want to make this work. I'm my own person now, you and I will figure everything out as it comes. Right now I just...I just want to enjoy being with you, if that's okay.”

Sans quietly agreed with a nod, pulling you close again.

“This...is pretty nice, yeah...” he acquiesced, making you laugh gently.

“'Pretty nice'? It's _only_ 'pretty nice'?” you teased. Sans shrugged.

“Yeah. You're nice and pretty,” he returned affectionately, nuzzling at your neck. You could never get used to the warmth of his bones or the surprising tenderness of his touches. Sans was solid, he had a weight and life inside his stocky frame, but he still managed to be almost reverent in his affections when it came to you. You wondered how gentle he was when it came to _other_ forms of affection.

The thought set your cheeks aflame. It was embarrassing, but it had been on your mind so you thought you might as well bring it up now that you were alone out of the house. Clearing your throat awkwardly, you pulled back again, averting your eyes.

“Um...so...” You stumbled, Sans's intent and curious gaze doing little to ease the sudden butterflies in your stomach. “L-Listen, I just wanted to ask, but, um...are you...interested in...i-in like...” You trailed off, waving your hand in a general motion. Of course Sans did not quite understand so you had to say it, but god, was it hard.

“A-Are you interested in...y'know... _sleeping_ together at some point?”

Sans's sleepy eyes were immediately wide and alert, his face almost glowing bright blue at the question.

“Uh-” came his eloquent reply, prompting you to hastily add on to your question.

“I-I-I mean, we don't ever have to i-if you don't want to! I don't mind at all either way! It's j-just...I've done it before and I'm still nervous about it, s-so...maybe...in the future, I wouldn't mind trying it out if you wanted to!” You giggled a little hysterically, pressing your hands to your cheeks. “Oh god, I can't believe I just... _asked_ that! Out of the blue!” Sans shook his head at this, gently pulling at your wrist so one of your eyes was visible, although you kept it tightly shut.

“N-No! Uh, it's important to have this talk, y'know? I wanna know what you're comfortable with, too. I know that Rory...did some fucking _horrible_ things to you when it came to that,” Sans reassured you, his tone darkening at the mention of Rory. “...so I didn't know if you would ever want to a-and I also don't mind if you never want to either! I just want to be with you. I think...if it happens, it happens. We'll both wait till we're comfortable, when it feels natural.”

He had eased your hands back down, holding your fingers between his. You had leaned forward, pressing your foreheads together and you could feel Sans's breath as he spoke. You nodded quietly with your eyes still shut, happy to have said something about this, too.

“Right now-” Sans squeezed your hands. “-this is all I need. _You're_ all I need.”

The words made your heart swell and you sighed out happily. With a sudden boldness, you whispered, “Sans...?”

“...hm?”

“I love you...” The words were feather-light as the chilly air made your breath mist, but they also held so much weight. You could feel Sans's face shift as he blinked in shocked silence before he tilted his head up to press the bone of his nose to yours in an affectionate nuzzle.

“I love you, too, babe...”

You stood there for a few minutes longer, soaking in the moment. Once again, the tree had been privy to this private confession between the two of you, its branches rattling in the wind. After awhile, the breeze became too much and you and Sans began to walk home. It was silent until you were on the doorstep when Sans paused, looking up at you, a rumbling laugh coming out of him as he spoke.

“Was, uh, that bedroom talk because of the bath thing?”

 

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	24. A Merry Christmas

When you first had to change your bandages, Sans insisted he be there to help you. Despite your warnings that it would look worse than it actually felt, he stayed steadfast. He wanted to help you with it. You changed into a tank top so you could stay clothed as you filled up the sink basin with warm water, dumping the medicine into the soak. The bathroom was silent with tension, so the sound the bandage made as you slowly ripped it lose to unwind it made you both jump. He winced when he saw how extensive and deep the damage was, his eye sockets growing darker as more of the cloth unraveled.

Your skin was discolored and blotchy, patches of skin completely replaced in some spots. The doctor had said you were lucky you had not lost any fingers or even the whole hand itself. You discarded the wrap and had reached for the rag soaking in the herbal bath you had been prescribed, when Sans's hand suddenly reached out to stop you.

“Let...Let me do that for you,” he said, his voice shaking a little. His mouth was set in a grimace and his brows creased with sorrow. He felt so guilty. You pressed the rag into his palm as he rolled his sleeves up. Gently, he began to wash your arm and it was your turn to wince.

There was no denying it, it hurt terribly and now, as it was starting to heal and scab, it itched. More than once Sans had to chide you for scratching at it. That was actually the reason you had to change the bandage earlier than the doctor had told you to. There was blood blossoming to the surface of the bandages, no doubt from a scab you had accidentally removed. The medicine stung and you sucked in a sharp breath, making Sans pause, sweat beginning to pool on his brow. He waited until you exhaled with a curt nod before continuing his gentle strokes.

“I can't believe I did this to you...”

“ _Sans-_ ”

“I'm serious! Look at this!” He held up your hand, being careful not to hurt you. “I was so...careless...”

“You were distraught,” you replied sharply, a sudden bubble of frustration bursting out of you. When he said nothing, instead continuing his meticulously slow washing of your arm, you leaned down to rest your forehead against his.

“Sans, I'm not angry at you...How could I be? You've been trying to deal with so much on your own and then Gaster vanished right in front of you. You were going to...” The words died in your throat, but you both knew what would have happened had he allowed his flames to consume him. “I chose to hold on to you. I _chose_ this. And I'd sure as hell burn my hand again if it meant saving you.”

Sans quietly replaced the rag into the sink, draining the water, as he wiped your skin dry with a soft towel. He picked up the fresh bandages and set to wrapping your wrist.

“Did we really _choose_ any of this?” he asked. “I mean...we're characters in a story. Were we just created for this?”

The two of you were quiet for a moment. You could hear Papyrus downstairs busying himself in the kitchen, knocking pots and pans over. In a strange way, it vaguely reminded you that you needed to ask Toriel to teach you how to bake things. As Sans finished the regular pressure wrap, he shook the box of bandaids from Frisk, picking one at random to wrap around your finger. It was dark blue. Your thoughts drifted to Undyne and Alphys. You needed to call them and get back to work planning their wedding. It took you a second to realize that Sans was watching you, his dim pupils back and scanning your face silently.

“...Just because we know that we're here like this in a story and that someday this might end, does that make the journey any less enjoyable? I mean-” With your good hand, you pressed your palm to his cheek. “-like I've said before, all of this _feels_ real to me. I'm happy here. I love all of you. Whether that was predetermined or not, that doesn't change anything for me.”

Sans shut his eyes for a moment, leaning into your touch. He said nothing, but he seemed to be soothed by your words. You both knew it would take some time to overcome what had happened in the void and the knowledge that only the two of you would share about the reality of your universe, but being there with one another made it seem less daunting.

“Besides,” you continued with a small smile. “If it means I end up with you...I don't mind.”

Sans blushed brightly, a fraction of a real smile reappearing on his face. You wished you had a joke to ease the sour mood, maybe provide a little levity-

A sudden thought popped into your head and you laughed, startling Sans. He stood there confused until you pulled away to speak up again.

“You could say-” You waved your bandaged hand with a flourish. “-I _carry a torch_ for you.”

Your skeletal boyfriend chastised you with a sheepish grin for the rest of the night for that terribly inappropriate joke.

\-----

Sans was sitting on your bed as you sat at your vanity, brushing your hair while you looked in the mirror. His pupils followed each stroke of the brush, watching the strands of hair trickle though your fingers. He seemed so interested in every little thing about you. Today, it was not just because he could, but because the both of you were getting ready for the Christmas party at Undyne and Alphys's house. He had helped you pick out an outfit as you gifted him his early Christmas present of a goofy Christmas shirt. It was bright red with three pictures of the periodic table square for Holmium, spelling out “Ho, Ho, Ho”. Of course, he had been thrilled, throwing it on immediately.

Your clothes were just a baggy burgundy wool sweater and some black thermals. The sleeves of your sweater were long enough to cover your hands which was a comfort. You knew your friends worried about you, but you did not want anything to sour the Christmas spirit at the party.

“So why did you want me to dress so warmly? The party is inside the house, Sans. I'll be sweating bullets in there by the fire.”

Sans shrugged, being mysterious as always, although his easy smile let you know he had something planned.

You, Sans, and Papyrus arrived at Undyne and Alphys's home with food in tow. Papyrus had “allowed” you to help him make some chocolate pie using one of Toriel's recipes while Sans watched. Every so often he had snatched up a spoon while the two of you were not looking. Needless to say, it was a wonder any of the pie filling had made it inside the shell at all. When you plopped it down on the kitchen counter with the rest of the desserts, Toriel was pleasantly surprised.

“Oh! You used the recipe I sent you!” she said. Frisk bounced towards you from the kitchen table, wrapping their arms around you in a loving embrace as you beamed up at the tall goat monster.

“Of course I did! Your food is always delicious!”

Toriel blushed happily as Frisk nodded their head in agreement.

“Before I forget,” she said, moving off to the table where her bag was sitting. You and Frisk followed, with Frisk grinning at you in anticipation. Toriel produced a small potted plant from within the bag, carefully placing it in your hands.

“It's the start to an herb garden. Asgore could not be here tonight so he asked me to give this to you. He thought, since you seemed to enjoy cooking with Papyrus, you might like having your own spices in the kitchen. I think gardening would be a good activity for you, too,” Toriel explained, adding the last sentence quietly. You raised your eyebrows at her words.

“You and Asgore are talking again?” She raised her hands up at you, a no-nonsense look on her face.

“Don't get any ideas. It is simply for...for _Frisk's_ benefit,” Toriel insisted.

Frisk made a face, almost as if to say _don't pull me into this_. Toriel sighed and scrunched her nose grumpily.

“I just think that maybe it is time that we speak again as adults. We both simply have a common goal, uniting the monster and human race. Nothing more.”

You did not tease her further. While you had enjoyed pressing her and you had done it good-naturedly, you were honestly happy to see that she was doing alright. Once again, you knew that she still needed time to heal, but it at least seemed as though she was moving forward. That was always something you had admired about Toriel, she was steadfast in her resolve. There was no doubt in your mind that, no matter what happened with her, she would be alright.

The party continued without a hitch. The food was great and everyone had fun watching terrible holiday specials. Undyne and Alphys had been extra stressed by the wedding plans so you enjoyed watching them unwind with everyone. It was about partway through the movie, when you had reached out to casually hold hands with Sans, you felt that the space beside you was empty. Glancing around, you tried to see if maybe he had moved silently, as he was still apt to do despite not using his teleporting powers.

Mettaton was happily perched in Papyrus's lap, a noodly arm draped across his shoulders, the robot's fingers tapping absentmindedly at the end of the skeleton's Santa hat. If Papyrus could be any more orange in the face than he was right then, he could have sat atop the tall Christmas tree in the corner and pretended his bright face was the star. Undyne and Alphys were in a similar spot, wrapped around each other as they mumbled lines they memorized from the movie back and forth, giggling every so often. Still, you did not see Sans among them. Quietly standing up, you walked into the kitchen. There you saw a familiar note stuck to the fridge.

_didn't check your phone, huh?_

You pulled your phone out of your pocket and saw that there was indeed a message from Sans on it. A little embarrassed, you tugged the note down before reading the text.

_let's take a walk. meet you there._

It was not difficult to determine where exactly he meant. Where else did you end up when the two of you went walking? Saying your hasty goodbyes to everyone, thanking them for their lovely gifts, you rushed out the door.

\-----

You had skidded to a stop several feet away, mouth agape in wonder. Sans was indeed at the park like you had assumed, but it seemed that he had made some preparations before you arrived.

The tree, _your_ tree, had been wrapped in twinkling Christmas lights. There were silver and blue ornaments strewn about the branches and spread out at the base of the trunk was a tree skirt. There, leaned back with his eyes shut, was Sans, looking positively pleased with himself. He peeked open one eye, his easy grin widening as you approached.

“I knew you'd be _de-lighted_ when you saw it,” he joked. He beckoned you to sit with him and, with the same arm, held you tight to his side when you obliged. “I know this old tree means a lot to you. Besides, it's a clear night tonight. We should, uh, be able to see the stars with _snow_ problem.”

Sans was right, the stars were twinkling brightly above you. He had gone through a lot of effort to do all of this for you. You knew that his magic usage was limited now, he did not want to risk teleporting, so he had to have carried all of these things here on foot. You snuggled into his shoulder.

“I can't believe you did all of this,” you breathed softly. Sans chuckled again, shrugging in response.

You took a moment to bask in the moment. The twinkling lights and the warmth of Sans against you made you feel light and giddy. You really did love him. Your skeletal boyfriend shuffled a little, digging something out of his pocket to show you sheepishly. You blushed. It was mistletoe.

“Didn't, uh...quite know what to do with this.”

You did not quite believe Sans, especially with how deeply he was blushing, but you knew that he was trying hard to be romantic. It made your already fluttering heart skip a beat to think that he was going so far out of his way to make you feel special. Gently taking it out of his hands, you twirled it between your fingers.

“I mean...we don't really _need_ this, do we?” you said quietly, clumsily trying your own hand at being suave.

Before Sans could muster a response, you had pressed a hand to his cheek, tilting your head to kiss him. You had kissed him before, but that was out of desperation and fear. This sensation was altogether different, making you relax into his arms. Without lips, it was not quite what you were used to, but it still felt good to you. If Sans's sudden tight grip on your sides was any indication, he was enjoying it, too. You pulled back a bit, shyly looking into each others eyes, before pressing forward again softly, nothing behind the kiss except to feel the intimacy of his bones against your lips.

The two of you stayed there like that under the tree for awhile, enjoying simple kisses and the closeness of each other, the mistletoe discarded at your feet.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

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> [Here is the shirt Marnie bought for Sans. Needless to say, he was thrilled.](http://rlv.zcache.com/hohoho_holmium_chemistry_element_christmas_pun_tee_shirts-r3e1e64a9b3524be2979861fb5e9372b3_jy5yn_1024.jpg)
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> Happy Holidays everyone! <3 The best gift I could ever ask for is the lovely friends and readers I've met because of the fics that I write. Thank you so much for all your kindness. I appreciate each and every one of you.


	25. A Means to an End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flashback told from Rory's POV

**About A Year Prior...**

He was watching you.

He had been stalking you since that night on the beach. While Rory had lost sight of you when you ran away, it was not hard to find you again when you started going back to work. He could not believe how stupid you were. Why would you go back to work someplace he could find you again?

His question was answered as he stopped short in an alley across the street from the bar. Perched outside the door was Sans. Rory swore under his breath and leaned forward, trying to get a closer look at the sleeping monster. While the skeleton was definitely deep asleep, somehow Rory knew that the skeleton would still somehow catch him if he tried to approach.

Just then, the door to the bar opened up and there you were, carting out a burger and some ketchup. The sight of you made his blood boil. Here you were waiting on this creature hand and foot, fetching him his damn dinner, while he was out here freezing his ass off with nothing in the fridge back home. He had been forced to eat takeout for a week now and he felt filthy. The sight of that hamburger in your hands made his stomach twist in disgust and jealousy.

Rory watched you approach Sans slowly, setting the burger near him along with the ketchup. He watched you stare at him for a moment before reaching out to him. Rory grimaced. Was he going to have to watch you get all touchy-feely with that bag of bones? No, he realized, as you picked up a book from Sans's lap that he had not notices, you were just being a nosy bitch as usual. He jumped almost as hard as you did when Sans's eyes flashed open and his hand wrapped around your wrist.

Rory could not hear what was being said between the two of you, but if Sans was angry, you deserved it. His smug expression slid right off of him when he heard your familiar laugh, so loud and obnoxious it carried over to him across the street. He huffed out a breath when you waved at Sans and quickly disappeared into the bar again.

The bright flash of a blue eye sliding over in his direction had him shrinking back quickly. Rory cursed and fled, absolutely certain that that damn skeleton had seen him. Would he follow him and finish the job he had started on the beach? Rory clutched at his crooked nose, remembering the pain he had felt as his bony fists had connect with the hard cartilage.

His father had done little to support him after the incident. Rory had shown up to work, a mess and wildly hungover, and his father had turned him out. Apparently he was an “embarrassment to the family” and was “ruining the company” with the way he looked. His father said that, until he cleaned up his act, he was not welcome back there. Still, Rory would not rest until he had reclaimed what that little freak had stolen for him.

Thinking about your hands reaching out for Sans, Rory could not help the gut-wrenching imagery of you caressing his skull or leaning in to press your lips against his unfeeling cheekbone. You had probably moved on without any problem without him holding you back. You were just a dirty monster fucker. Still, Rory could not help the roar of anger as he kicked a nearby trashcan, sending debris cascading down the sidewalk.

“Golly! You must be _really_ upset about something!”

The shrill voice made Rory jump, glaring all around him to find the source of it. He felt a gentle tap at his ankle and he stumbled backwards, tripping over the trashcan in his shock at seeing a giant yellow flower grinning up at him. The flower's smirk seemed to curl even further as it watched Rory's face scrunch with anger.

“What the hell do _you_ want?” Rory spat, making the flower's grin falter for a second, turning into more of a sneer. “I don't want anything to do with some monster flower freak-”

“I'm not just any old monster, pal,” the tiny flower said, reverting back to its cheery expression. “Monsters gotta have SOULs and, y'see, I don't have one of those.”

Rory eyed him up and down before scoffing, “Well, you definitely ain't human.”

The flower grimaced.

“Gross, no thanks. ...No offense of course!” the flower amended when Rory stood up and brushed himself off, eyeing the small plant dangerously. “L-Listen, mister! Sounds like you've gotta problem and I think I can help you out!”

Rory stepped over him before he could finish, making his way down the sidewalk with a careless wave of his hand.

“Sorry, I don't take life advice from an overgrown _weed._ ”

Suddenly, with a sharp crack, Rory felt something snag onto his ankle. He cried out as his chin connected with the pavement, glaring back down his leg to see a thick green vine wrapped around it. The flower attached to it was grinning fiendishly now, the vine traveling up Rory's leg to twist its way across his torso.

“How rude! You didn't even let me introduce myself!” The flower sunk into the ground before reappearing further along the vine that had made its way up Rory's back. It pressed its face close to his, winking. “I'm Flowey! Flowey the flower! And trust me, pal, I can help you out with what's botherin' ya!”

Rory writhed as he felt the vines wrap their way around him, small barb-like thorns clinging and tugging at his flesh. He managed to roll over, forcing Flowey to disappear again, but the grinning flower simply reappeared in the middle of his chest. Rory reached out to strangle him, but his hands froze inches from the stem underneath Flowey's petals, held back by vines encircling his wrists. The flash of panic that had suddenly appeared on the flower's face melted away as Rory struggled for breath under the crushing weight of the plant gripping his body.

“L...Let me go, you little fuck!” he gasped out.

“Watch your language, mister, geez!” Flowey tutted disapprovingly, a mocking sneer pasted across his expression. With a sudden grunt of effort from Flowey, Rory felt his limbs pulling himself up from off the ground to stand. Slowly, he felt himself beginning to walk forward before stumbling into the trashcans he had kicked over before.

“What're you doing?! Let me – mmfff!” Rory's protests were cut off as a thick vine wrapped it's way across his mouth and around his head, silencing him. He bit down against it, but coughed at the acrid plant fluids that threatened to choke him.

“Ouch! You're really trying my patience, buddy-”

Flowey stopped short as the both of them heard the creak of a door opening. Shambling out onto the patio of the nearby house, came a man dressed only in his robe and boxers, hefting a baseball bat.

“What the hell are you doing rummaging around in my bins?! Get out of here, you homeless prick!” the man shouted. “Making a mess, interrupting my shows!” He swung his bat threateningly, but Flowey kept Rory rooted to the spot, his eyes darting between the flower and the slowly approaching man. It was not like Rory could not put up a good fight, the incident on the beach be damned, but he could not exactly throw a punch with Flowey holding onto him so tightly. In fact, to his horror, Flowey pulled his hands up in front of him, clenching his fingers into tight, painful fists.

“What're you gonna do about it, idiot?” Flowey goaded, hissing out his insult.

In a sudden flash of rage, the man charged the pair of them, hefting his bat to swing at the side of Rory's head. Rory shut his eyes in terror, bracing for the impact. To his surprise, the blow never came. With a sudden dexterity, he felt his body dip and dive away from the renegade bat before his entire body lunged forward, swinging a punch at the unsuspecting man. His knuckles connected with his gristled chin. Instead of just staggering him though, the blow threw the man off his feet, sending him skidding back up his walkway in a daze. Huffing in a few frenzied breaths, Flowey released Rory's mouth so he could speak.

“Wh...What was _that?_ ”

“That was my magic and your SOUL working together! Alone you're just human and me? I'm just a little old flower! But, together, our power is increased beyond anything we could achieve on our own,” Flowey explained, a stray leaf caressing Rory's cheek. “You wanna get back at that bag of bones and that dumb thing pretending to be a human, don'tcha?” Rory scrunched his nose.

“' _Pretending_ to be human'? Of course they're human, they're-” Again Flowey interrupted him with a chuckle.

“What's their _name?_ ”

Before Rory could think too hard about it, the man sprawled across the walkway began to groan and stir. Flowey seemed to think it was time to go, using his vines to guide Rory into a brisk jog away from the disoriented man. As Rory felt the wind whipping past him, he could feel his body and Flowey's strength slowly meshing, becoming less awkward in his steps and gaining more speed. He remembered the feeling of his fist connecting with that stranger's face, the thrill of watching him be tossed through the air only to land in a crumpled heap. Tightening his fists in determination, a wicked smile set across his face.

“...'Together', huh?”

Flowey simply grinned devilishly in response.

\-----

The next few months were spent following you and Sans whenever they could, pausing only to allow Rory to rest and Flowey to disentangle himself for a scant few hours. This would always irritate the flower, but at the same time, he did not seem in a rush. From what the both of them had seen, you were still struggling with your day to day life.

There were times where they would catch you flinching at loud noises or catch a glimpse of your expression whenever you were uncomfortable. Whether Rory had lost that fight on the beach or not, it seemed that he had made a lasting impact on you. He could not help but be smug about it. You deserved to have as awful of a time as he was having, too.

His father continued to pay for the apartment, despite Rory's increasingly reclusive behavior. In fact, it got to the point where Rory was no longer keeping up appearances. He did not bother calling his father and he had stopped trying to needle information out of your vacant and simpering mother. He relied solely on Flowey.

Neither of them really shared much of themselves with the other and Rory had not had a chance to ask the flower what he had meant about you, but that made little difference to him. If Flowey was willing to lend him his strength just to fulfill his own personal vengeance against Sans, who was he to argue? They both had the same goal. Using Flowey's magic and the guiding strength of his vines, Rory was able to hit harder and move faster than he had before.

There was another night where they had gone and tested their combined power, picking a petty fight with a drunk on the side of the road. Once again, he had sent him flying, leaving the drunkard half-conscious in an alleyway. This time, though, once the adrenaline had worn off, Rory felt the stinging force of the blow in his knuckles. Looking down at his hands, he saw that they were beginning to bleed from where the thorns were pressed so tightly against his skin. Flowey reassured him that he would get used to the sensation, that the cuts would scab and his skin would harden, even the tight squeeze around his ribs restricting his breathing would hurt less. It left Rory wary, especially since it seemed that the flower was less and less willing to unravel himself from Rory's body as time went on, but the benefits of their relationship seemed to outweigh the pain of the whole ordeal. Besides, when Flowey would poke at him, asking him if he was too weak to cope with a little tugged skin, it chewed at his pride.

After many months, Rory begrudgingly allowed Flowey to stay attached to him at all times. He had to admit, the power was intoxicating and the pain became an after thought, normal for him. That was the only reason he agreed to staying connected at all times. Besides, if it meant putting you back in your place and wiping that shit-eating grin off of that little skeleton freak's face, he did not mind.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to share a little bit more about how Rory and Flowey ended up together since we are nearing the beginning of the end. It was rough getting this chapter out after my short hiatus, but I hope it turned out alright!
> 
> As always, follow [my Tumblr](http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/) for info about updates. If you'd like to support me, [consider buying me a coffee](https://ko-fi.com/Buttons/Buy/6160LC7Q1II7) or [becoming a Patron](https://www.patreon.com/MadamMerlise?ty=h). I'm going to start posting art and previews for chapters exclusively for my Patreon Patrons, but, as always, my stories will remain free to read. In the future, I would like to record a sort of audio book of me reading YDM, although that will most likely happen once YDM is completed.
> 
> I've also had this idea tossing around in my head of creating a separate fic based in the YDM universe that is set after the events of the main story, although it would probably be just fluffy ficlets. Any thoughts on that idea?


	26. The Means

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter from FlowRory's POV. Warning for blood and gore.

**The Night of Gaster's Interference...**

You and that damn skeleton had vanished into thin air, leaving Rory, Flowey, and your babbling mother in the living room to sort things out among themselves. Your mother had no idea where you were staying or what was going on, so she was positively useless. She eyed Flowey perched on Rory's shoulder warily.

“Wh-Who's that...?” she stammered, pointing at the writhing plant. Flowey looked about ready to bite the offending finger off, but Rory did not want to deal with it.

Instead of answering her, he simply stormed out of the house. Your mother called out to him in confusion, apparently this was “very unlike him” or something. It was inconsequential. She did not matter. The person he was looking for, the one he was really after, had gone missing yet again. It had been the perfect chance. There had been no opportunities to get you away from Sans and, despite their combined strength, Flowey voiced his hesitance about confronting the both of you.

When your mother had called him, it was perfect. You were there, apparently on the outs with your skeletal bed buddy, and you were distraught. Even though she was as vacuous as ever, your mother had proven at least minutely useful. However, Rory reminded himself as he gritted his teeth, he had arrived too late. Somehow that monster had found you and he had stolen you away. There was no telling when he was going to have a chance like that again, especially now that he had revealed himself.

Once again, the trashcans of the neighborhood suffered the relentless onslaught of Rory's fury, being sent flying across yards and down the street. He roared in disgust and tugged at the vines constricting around his throat.

“I can't believe this shit! I can't believe she got away!”

For some reason, Rory felt his body stop. Flowey was holding him in place.

“Wh...What did you just say...?” the plant mumbled. Rolling his eyes, Rory repeated himself in a huff.

“She got away! What are we going to do n-?”

Suddenly, the pressure on his neck grew, making him cough. The vines attached to him were writhing and pulsing, suddenly a flurry of movement that threatened to cut off his breathing completely. It took the insistent press of his fingers into the thick plant for Flowey to ease his grip.

“Don't call them that!”

“What the hell are you talking about? You trying to kill me?” Rory growled out, trying to crane his neck to glare at Flowey. The flower leaned into view, leveling a harsh stare of his own.

“Don't call them _'she'!_ ”

“Why not?”

“If you give them an identity then...this _world_...” Flowey trailed off uncertainly. Quietly, he chuckled humorlessly. “I guess it doesn't matter now, huh? If _you're_ calling them _that_ , then that means...”

“'This world'? None of what you're saying makes any sense!” Rory hissed, trying to regain control of the conversation, but Flowey was despondent. Instead, he began guiding Rory back in the direction of his apartment. “You going to tell me just what the _hell_ is going on?”

“Listen,” Flowey said, an uncharacteristic hesitance in his voice. “If I tell you, it'll just make things worse for you, pal. And, with the way things are looking like they're going, you don't want that.”

It was only silence after that. Rory was frustrated and Flowey refused to talk. There was a moment where the blaring sound of a siren in the distance could be heard, but neither of them acknowledged it. Accidents happen all the time. Both of them were too deep in thought to pay attention to something so meaningless.

The flower could see you for what you were, a shapeless vessel, a role anyone could fill and use to play within a silly little fantasy. Your essence was ever shifting, but you had begun to become someone concrete. It was part of his plan, he supposed, his grand scheme to keep this story going, to keep people like You reading, but...now, he was uncertain. Would it play out how he had planned? Would this be _satisfying?_

In that moment, right in front of the door to Rory's apartment, Flowey made a decision.

“Hey...you never answered my question...What's their _name?_ ”

\-----

Flowey was beginning to regret telling Rory anything. It had been an hour since he had been confronted with the truth and a mirror and the stupid human had not stopped wailing in agony since. Sure it had to have been surprising to learn that everything he ever knew was a lie and a construct of some idiotic “Author” or whatever, but he was just overreacting now. He had even sunk to his knees in the bathroom in front of the mirror like the cliché antagonist that he was, sobbing and defeated. Flowey impatiently covered Rory's gaping maw with a vine, needing him to shut up for just a moment.

Whatever Rory's purpose was in this universe, it was clear that the Author did not like him very much. Despite the reveal of his true nature, Rory's appearance had remained fluid and ever-changing. His body was that of a man, but his features were beginning to warp and melt into some kind of gray creature. He was still a human, but, for whatever reason, he was not given an appearance or an identity beyond his name. What a pathetic role to be relegated to.

“Quit your sniffling, idiot!” Flowey grumbled. “It won't do you any good."

To his surprise, he watched as Rory's muffled yells began to quiet into quivering sobs. With a touch of reluctance, the flower eased his grip on the human's face to let him speak again.

“Why am I...like this...?” Rory whimpered out. He put his hands in front of him, watching his fingers curl into tight fists. Bits of him were dripping off of his form and his skin looked like it was made of trembling slime. He had never felt so pitiful.

“You're just a secondary character. An afterthought. You were created to be the embodiment of someone's fears. You don't have a face or a shape. You just _are_.”

With a sudden ferocity, Rory jerked his hands to try and grasp at Flowey's petals. The plant only barely managed to grip his arms in time, trying not to show the fear that had run through him in his surprise. In all honesty, if Rory really tried to, if he got mad enough...he could rip Flowey to pieces. Before he could say more, Rory was speaking again, a frantic kind of slur to his speech.

“Why don't _you_ look like this? Why is it just me?”

“I-It's _not_ just you! Every other human in this story that isn't _them_ has no real form! Honest!” Flowey stammered. “You're all just placeholders! Somebody people can just imagine for themselves!”

Rory stilled at this, albeit momentarily. Exhibiting a great amount of force, he pulled himself to his feet. Before Flowey could rein him in, he was stumbling out of the door. The plant could not find the words to say, terrified of Rory's blind anger being directed at him if he slipped up and said the wrong thing. He had no idea what the human was looking for at first, but soon, as Rory skidded to a stop, he had his answer.

The night was still young enough that someone was walking down the sidewalk. To Rory, they looked just like him. They had no face or definable appearance, instead they were a mess of shapes and sizes, trying to appear as different people all at once. This person seemed unfazed, but they were startled when Rory came shambling into view.

“O-Oh! Hello! Sorry, I didn't see you there!”

Their voice sounded like a thousand people trying to speak at once, overlapping in pitch and cadence. Rory scrambled at the sides of his head at the horrific sound of it, absolutely bombarded with sound. The person reached out a hesitant hand as Rory flinched away. Their eyes caught sight of the vines making their way around Rory and they staggered back.

“H-Hey! Are you okay?”

Before they could react, Rory was upon them. He seized their wrist, disgusted by the feeling of their combined essence sliding off one another in his grip. With all his force, he pulled at their arm while simultaneously elbowing them in the gut. The faceless person's startled cry was cut short as the wind was knocked out of them, sending them to their hands and knees to cough in pain. Rory did not leave them there for long though. Firmly, with the heel of his foot, he pushed them over, sending them toppling to their side before he clambered on top of them. Pressing the entirety of his weight upon their chest, his hands encircled their throat.

“I'm not like you! I-I'm not like... _you!_ ”

Rory's voice was quiet and hysterical as he pushed his thumbs into their neck. The person beneath him scrabbled at his wrists, kicking their legs in the futile hope of knocking him off of them. For a moment, Flowey could only blink in surprise. Collecting himself, however, he felt his mouth curve into a wicked grin. The human beneath the two of them was trying to call out for help, but, because of the fingers wrapped around their throat the sound was too quiet. Tears leaked from their wide eyes...but nobody came.

As the human began to still, Rory continued to babble. Sobs were choking out of him as he repeated that he was not like that person beneath him. He was someone. He was not just an idea or a placeholder. He _mattered_.

The only thing that brought him out of his stupor was a sudden bright orange light that made him blink in surprise. Floating in front of him was a glowing orange heart. Rory was enthralled by it, releasing his hands from the now lifeless husk of a person underneath him. It quivered under his scrutiny and appeared incredibly fragile, like it might break at any moment.

In the next instant, it was gone. Blinking his eyes at the sudden darkness, it took a moment for Rory to realize that, no, it had not just disappeared. A coil of vines had completely engulfed it. There seemed to be a burst of light from within the tight grip of the plant that dispersed within the vines themselves, traveling their way up through them. Rory heard Flowey began to giggle behind him as the vines pulsated with renewed vigor.

“Heh heh heh...Wow! You really did it! I can't believe you really killed them!”

Realizing himself, Rory stumbled back only to trip over the dead human's feet and fall over onto his back. He scrabbled backwards, unable to tear his gaze away from the lifeless eyes of his victim. Just a moment ago they were waving at him, saying hello. Now, they were cold and dead on the pavement...because of him.

“N-No...No! I didn't kill them! This...This isn't happening!” Rory mumbled, finally able to bring his eyes away from the person he had murdered and instead down to his trembling hands. Flowey's voice was right in his ear.

“Oh, but you did, buddy! You just took those hands-” The vines coiled around his fingers, clenching them into fists. “-and _squeezed_ their SOUL right out of 'em! And now it belongs to me! Thanks for that by the way, I couldn't have gotten a SOUL without you.”

Rory's eyes flashed over at Flowey in confusion.

“What do you mean? Why did you need me?”

“I didn't _need_ you, not really. You were just the closest person to them so you were the most convenient. Not only that, but you were a source of a lotta their fears! Despite your stupidity, you were useful and it was pretty easy to trick you into letting me do this to you,” Flowey said nonchalantly. “Honestly, if I had known you'd go out and _kill_ somebody if you knew the truth, I would've told you a long time ago. Without you, I wasn't strong enough to kill anyone on my own, certainly not a human!”

Roaring in anger, Rory tugged at the vines encircling his neck. To Flowey's surprise, one of the vines snapped, making him wince, but it was of little consequence to him in the end. He pulled Rory's hands away and squeezed with a crushing force, relishing in the pained scream that tore its way out of Rory as he felt the bones in his hands snap.

“This is all y-your fault!” Rory mustered out. “The blood is on your hands!”

“Nah. When you strangle somebody, they don't necessarily bleed. But you know what _does_ make somebody bleed?” Rory gasped at the feeling of the sharp vines tearing into his stomach. He choked and had to struggle for breath as the terrible scent of his own blood filled his nostrils. “There? You see? _That's_ how you make somebody bleed!”

With a wheezing gasp, Rory ground out, “I'm...important...!”

Another sharp twist of the vines set him screaming again, although much weaker than before. He watched as a bright green light started to blossom in his chest. Floating forward, came his green SOUL. Flowey giggled in delight, wicked excitement going through him at the thought of collecting a second SOUL to add to his strength.

“You _were_ important,” he corrected with a sneer.

With one final gasping breath, Rory collapsed. The last thing he saw before he closed his eyes for good was his pulsating SOUL bathed in green light.

Then...it went dark.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so, alone and terrified, Rory has died. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. We are nearing The End.
> 
> As always, follow [my Tumblr](http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/) for info about updates. If you'd like to support me, consider [buying me a coffee](https://ko-fi.com/Buttons/Buy/6160LC7Q1II7) or [becoming a Patron](https://www.patreon.com/MadamMerlise?ty=h). [Here's a WIP of some art](http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/post/136798871271/wip) I'm going to be drawing that is based off of this chapter that will be Patreon exclusive when it's completed! With as little as one dollar a month, you'll get access to daily content, whether it be previews of chapters or art based off my fics.


	27. Can Anybody Hear Me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If you can read this, please listen to what I have to say.

_It has been a very long time, Author. What exactly are you waiting for?_

I'm not waiting for anything, there are still things that need to be written.

_Why have you not written them then?_

I have been...busy.

“ _Busy”? Yet here you are, speaking to me, someone who no longer exists within the confines of your Story. I am dead in this universe yet I am the one you are seeking in order to get to Writing again. How “busy” are you really if that is the case?_

I just want to Write again, this just seemed like the easiest way to jump back in, by having a conversation with you. I don't feel any sort of pressure, this is just a way to clear my head.

_You cannot pretend that this Story does not still weigh in your mind. It has been almost a year and you still open it and read it over and over again. That document is still open on your computer, half finished. What is truly stopping you from seeing The End through?_

I don't need to be reprimanded by you. You're not real.

_I feel real. Right now, as we are talking, you are imaging me and my responses. In a way, is that not “real” to you, too?_

You barely existed in this story.

_So did you. Yet here we both are, watching it unfold from the outside. I, however, do not have the power to see my son achieve his final goals. That strength lies only with you._

Who is even waiting for The End to this story anymore? You said so yourself, it has been almost a year. Who would even hope for The End?

_They are, believe me. Even you hope for The End. Are you afraid?_

...Of course. I've always been afraid. Every time I write anything, I'm afraid. What will They think? Did what I intend come across? Will They be satisfied? Will the characters in my Story be satisfied?

_You will not know unless you Write it and make it so. Of course there will be some left empty by The End, you cannot satisfy everyone, but is that not the nature of a Story? You paint a picture, you have your intentions, but what the Readers glean from it is of their own making. You cannot control that._

Hm...

_In a way, we are all afraid of The End. The characters, my son, your Reader, the Readers out there peering in...They are all afraid in some way, but They still want to see it come to fruition. It is only natural after all to seek closure. Again, I can only ask...what is stopping you?_

It's selfish, but this Story means so much to me. These characters represent a piece of myself. It's...difficult to work through.

_I know. They know. But these characters are important to others, too. They deserve closure, the characters and the Readers. You deserve closure._

I know...but it just isn't that simple.

_What has been the theme of this whole Story? Overcoming the fear of what is to come and seeing it through to The End, despite the difficult choices that may arise. No Story is easy, but there is always an End. Seize control of your Story again, meet The End on your own terms with all of your SOUL, with all of your determination. Do these things and The End will surely be a Good one._

How can you be sure?

_I cannot. However...if you are happy with The End, that is all that matters. You said so yourself, this Story represents a piece of you. Your love for this universe will surely show you this Story's ultimate fate. Only you can do this. We can only Read, but you...you can Write. So? Write!_

...I will.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait. Ao3 doesn't let me mark things as half-chapters, but consider this as Chapter 26.5. Chapter 27 will come out later today so please keep watch on [my Tumblr](http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/) for that. I will talk more about The End on that chapter's end notes.


	28. Your Shield

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dream had come to an end. It was time to push forward.

Sans was terrified. He was in the dark, unfeeling expanse of the Void, except it felt altogether emptier without his father's presence there. Had Gaster been protecting him all along from letting the creeping shadows seep into his bones? It was empty, he was alone, but the Void felt oppressive and all-consuming around and within him. He could feel the space between his bones, his joints felt like they might pop apart. It was too much.

He tried to scream out, but there was nothing to be heard. The dark had penetrated his skull, sapping his magic, sapping his will to live. He covered his eye sockets, widened in panic, with trembling fingers. He tried to shout again, but this time, there was a sound. However, it was not his voice. He whipped his head around and saw a bright light in the distance, pulsating wildly.

The light, orange and strong, was a familiar shape. Confused, Sans could see that it was a human SOUL. It had been a long time since he had seen a SOUL, not since Frisk's days in the Underground, so he could only wonder why he would be seeing one, and in the Void, of all places. There was something not right about it, the energy it gave off felt panicked and afraid. Suddenly, the SOUL began to grow, a high-pitched whine filling the air. Sans covered could feel that, whoever this SOUL belonged to, was in great peril. They did not want to die. The SOUL vibrated and shook, sparks flying off it before finally...it exploded. The bright light of the SOUL shattering, of it's human dying, was too much for Sans.

He sat up in bed, gasping for breath and clutching at his sheets which had wrapped tightly around him in his sleep. His shirt and jacket felt too snug on his bones. It was not the first time he had dreamed about being in that place since Gaster had vanished for good, but seeing SOULs there was something entirely new to him. A SOUL being destroyed in that way could only mean that someone had met a violent end before their time. Naturally, a SOUL would burn out and fade away, but a violent explosion of light could only mean murder.

It felt too visceral. Sans was covered in sweat and he could hardly calm his breathing. He needed to check on you. It was only a dream, but he knew the grip of fear in his chest would not dissipate if he did not see you sleeping safely in your bed. Instinctively, he almost tried to teleport down in his panic, but, given his dream and remembering Gaster's warnings, thought better of it. He could not let his emotions let him make careless mistakes. He needed to be there for you.

Taking the stairs two at a time, he noted that it was dark outside still. Something in his bones felt...off. Clutching at his ribs, right above the space where his SOUL lay hidden within the confines of his magical vessel, he felt unbalanced. Maybe the dream had affected him that much.

There was a sudden feeling in his chest, that he could only describe as a squeeze, as if something was being forced out of the air. Then there was the feeling again, of something growing and growing before coming to an abrupt and messy end. He whipped his head around wildly.

It was no dream. Someone else had been killed. He jumped when he heard a door open, his blue eye flaring to life.

“Sans! It is just me!” Papyrus's voice came fast. Sans sucked in a trembling breath and let his magic ease away as Papyrus bounded down the stairs to join him. He was still wearing his race car pajamas.

“You...felt it, too?”

“Of course...Brother, what could this mean? Who would want to harm a human?” his voice was uncharacteristically hushed. Despite his boisterous demeanor, Papyrus was always ready to be serious when the time came to it. Sans shrugged weakly. He turned back to the garage door.

“I need to see her right now. I'll...We'll worry about it in just a sec, bro, but I gotta know she's still there,” Sans explained, already making his way to the door. He was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

“Sans, this is serious. You go to the human, but I must call Undyne immediately. We might even need to call the king.” He watched as Sans nodded stiffly, they were Royal Guards after all, before carefully making his way into the garage.

The creak of the door made you shift under your blankets, but, to Sans's relief, you were sound asleep. Unable to help himself, Sans walked over to your bedside and brushed some hair out of your face and admired you for a moment. Sleeping, you were so peaceful and beautiful to him. The stress of your injuries had been affecting your mood, but he was glad that you could take a break from worrying and rest. He could feel the low beat of your SOUL beneath his fingertips and he let out a breath he did not know he was holding. You were alive. You were with him. It was real.

You turned in your sleep and rubbed at your face, making Sans recoil sheepishly. He did not want to wake you. He had not told you about Rory and Flowey yet and, seeing you relaxing and adjusting finally, only made the new development even more complicated. He fled, not without a tinge of guilt at keeping secrets from you.

_It's not keeping a secret, it's keeping her safe,_ he tried to assure himself. _She's just started getting better again...She doesn't deserve this burdening her, too._

Papyrus sitting at the dining table interrupted his thoughts. He motioned to a chair beside him that Sans took. The chair scraping across the ground sounded deafening in the silence of the early morning.

“Undyne has already spoken to King Asgore, she and Doctor Alphys were woken up by the change, too. He is going to speak with the human police and aid them in their investigation. Ah...I hope Frisk and Toriel are doing alright as well,” Papyrus said. He was texting, no doubt checking in on Mettaton as well. “The human is still asleep? Is she alright? I am surprised you did not wake her.”

“Yeah, she's still in one piece. I...left her alone.”

“Sans, this is serious,” Papyrus reiterated. “This has not happened on the surface before. Shouldn't you-?”

“ _Don't_...Don't lecture me, Papyrus. Not right now,” Sans snapped. His brother was taken aback, but did not relent.

“Until we know the details of what has happened, every human in town is in danger, including her. She has a right to know. You cannot keep shielding her.”

Sans slammed his hands down on the table before demanding, “Why not?!”

His eye glowed fiercely as he glared at Papyrus. Of course he understood the severity of the situation. He knew how those sorts of things went in a Story. As the Reader of their world, of course you were in danger, but why should you continue to deal with hardships? Why did it have to be you fighting for everyone else's sakes? Sans was not about to be the one to let the plot progress further than it already had. Papyrus regarded him with surprise then a look of infuriating concern.

“She needs to live her life the way she chooses. You cannot shield her from everything,” he whispered, patting experimentally at Sans's hand who frowned down at it. “Sooner or later, something will happen and you will not be there to protect her. Would you not rather that she be prepared?”

The bubbling indigence that Sans felt began to seep away. His eye began to give him a headache that he pressed at firmly with his fingers.

“Not yet. Please...don't make me look into her eyes and tell her she's not safe yet,” Sans begged. His brother seemed displeased with that answer, but he nodded solemnly.

“Alright.”

\-----

Sans was not able to sleep. Every morning you found him in the kitchen, throwing together something for you to eat for breakfast. It was all very slapdash and messy, but he could tell you appreciated it. It was not something he normally did, but since he was up so early, he might as well do something for you. Maybe it was the guilt getting to him, but he felt he owed you something. Every bit of affection you showed him he drank up greedily even though he did not feel like he deserved it. He needed something to soothe him.

The pressure broke a few days after the murders took place. The police had yet to find any bodies and you were almost ready to go back to work. Sans was sitting on your bed as you organized your clothes for the work week that would be coming up for you. He watched you hum happily, stealing shy glances at hi while you worked. He would be going back to work as the security guard for Grillbz as well, but the thought did not sit well with him.

He cleared his throat and you looked at him, giving him your complete attention with a curious expression on your face. His grin became strained. The fibers on the end of his jacket sleeves became immediately interesting to him.

“Yeah, babe?” you prodded him. You were still cheerful, but took not of his hesitance. He swallowed around nothing before his pupils turned upwards.

“I, uh...kinda got something I want to talk about with you to be honest,” he started. You sat beside him on the bed, your work discarded for the moment as you took his hand.

“' _Tibia-nest_ '?” you offered, trying to ease the nerves that he was now displaying outwardly. It earned a huff of laughter, but the way he was squeezing your hand felt like he was looking for support. You squeezed back. You were always so kind and understanding.

He could not take it.

There were tears shed as Sans told you about Rory's appearance at your mother's house and the significance of Flowey. You were stunned and he could see the quiet panic behind your eyes. Of course you demanded to know why he had kept it from you. His excuses sounded pathetic to him in the face of your confusion and concern. It all came pouring out. The image of Rory's grotesque form had been burned into his sockets, but you needed to know what had happened to him. He spared you the gruesome details, but from what he had shared, the thought of it made your stomach turn.

For all his blubbering and your frustration, you tried to be understanding. It had been difficult for Sans to tell you about it, but you were worried it was because he did not trust your strength.

It was something you would bring up when you had the chance, but, as the news settled in, all you wanted to do was be held. You felt weary and afraid. Your ex was out there, searching for you and potentially more dangerous than ever. Would he come to find you? What was he waiting for? Sans reassured you with the knowledge that he had explained the situation to the police, but did not elaborate further than that.

He petted your hair and kissed at the top of your head as you trembled in his arms. You were glad he told you, but of course it was nerve-wracking all the same. He told you he loved you and that nothing would happen to you.

In all the commotion, Sans had neglected to mention the murders. A huge oversight on his part, but when faced by your shock, it felt unfair to pile even more on. As he held your body close to his, he resolved to wait to tell you anything else. You needed time to recover and nothing concrete had been found out yet. He clutched you as desperately as you were grasping at him.

He wanted to believe he could protect you for a little while longer.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can see from the chapter count, there are going to be a few more chapters than I had anticipated. I'll be making a post explaining that on [my Tumblr](http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/) so I don't clutter the page with a lot of words. The post will detail the future of YDM and my fics in general as well as my tentative update schedule, so be sure to check it out. Thank you for your support.
> 
> [Tumblr](http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/) // [RedBubble](http://www.redbubble.com/people/ghostnappalie) // [Twitter](https://twitter.com/GhostieNaps)


	29. Another Early Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He couldn't keep it from you for long.

The dreams after Sans had confessed to you about seeing Rory again and what he looked like now were terrible and intense. He described the way Flowey's vines wrapped around Rory's body and you could not help the horrifying imagery it produced. At no fault of Sans's, this strange creature began to haunt you in your sleep.

You would imagine yourself on the floor of your mother's living room again, the ragged texture of the carpet feeling so real under your hands. This time you would be awake when Rory would come. His shifting form, almost held together only by the green vines, would loom over you before grabbing you by the throat. He would lift you up and press you against a wall, your feet unable to touch the ground. Rory had hit you and strangled you before, but the strength he possessed in your dreams was superhuman. Your feet would helplessly dangle in the air as you would scrabble at his fingers.

Your mother was no where in sight. Gaster's voice was silent in your head. Sans would never show up. Despite the tightening grip around your throat, you tried to cry out. Instead, a hoarse whimper would eek its way out of your mouth. The Rory in your dreams would laugh and lean forward, his face twisting into something monstrous and cruel. The hot, acrid breath he blew in your face as he spoke felt so vivid and real.

“Nobody's going to save you now, _____.”

He would cackle and your vision would begin to darken as the familiar hum of a thousand names would ring in your ears. It felt like it lasted for hours. The crushing weight of his fingers to your neck felt so real, so incredibly _real_. You would be left alone in the dark with nothing but his menacing laughter and the mangled sound of other people's names surrounding you.

A gentle touch to your forehead made you stir. From how dry your mouth felt, you could tell that you must have been talking in your sleep again. The same touch began to wipe the hair from your sweat-drenched face, soothing you into the waking world. With a new familiarity, you reached up and grabbed at the bony wrist to pull the hand down to meet your lips, pressing a loving kiss to Sans's fingertips. The two of you were not sharing a bed, you were still too shy for that, but since you had told Sans about your recent nightmares he had started making a habit of waking you in the morning for breakfast. This time, however, instead of him reciprocating your affection with a kiss to your forehead, you heard him shuffle nervously beside you.

“Hey, babe...?”

His tone had you wide awake in an instant, opening your eyes to take in his expression. The lights of his pupils were dim and his grin was strained with worry. Sans withdrew his hand to let you sit up.

“What's going on? What's wrong?” you asked, reaching for him, trying not to betray your own growing worry in your voice. Instead of answering right away, Sans took a seat on the edge of your bed. He hunched forward and looked at his feet. His entire body looked about ready to shrink in on himself. You sat up to wrap your arms around his shoulders, but he did not look at you. Another red flag. You leaned over, trying to catch his eye.

“Sans...?” you questioned again.

“Uh...Well...” Sans's voice was hushed as he tried to swallow down his emotions. Finally, he continued. “Babe, the...the police called this morning. I-It was about...Rory.”

You were confused. You had never made a report about anything regarding Rory. Why were the police calling? A sudden fear struck you, concerned that maybe Rory had made a report about _Sans._ Maybe he had made up a story about how Sans had “kidnapped” you or something ridiculous like that. Still, that was no reason for the police to call the house, they would have just come and found you and arrested Sans.

“They...Uh, well, his father wanted to let you know...Rory's dead.”

It was so blunt how he said it, but how else would he have put it? You had no idea how to feel. A part of you, initially, was...relieved? There was no longer any worry that he would ever come after you again. However, despite what he had done, that did not mean that you wanted him _dead._ In a perfect world, you hoped that maybe he would seek help or just leave you alone entirely on his own, discouraged by your new relationship with Sans. If worst came to worst, you would have preferred to have had him behind bars, but... _dead?_ Your silence must have made Sans anxious because now he was looking at you, trying to gauge your reaction to the news.

“I...don't know what to say,” you admitted lamely. Sans simply nodded, seeming to already understand your conflicted emotions. “How did he die? Was he in a fight or something? Overdosed? God, did he...did he do something to himself?”

Again, Sans seemed to shift into quiet worry and it was starting to exasperate you a little.

“Sans, just tell me. I can handle whatever -”

“He was murdered.”

Once again you were sent reeling. You pressed a hand to your still-sleep-heavy eyes, feeling sick to your stomach. There was a small touch of guilt as part of you immediately thought that, given his personality, it was not so hard to believe. Maybe he had had one too many to drink and picked a fight he was not going to wake up from. Sans pressed on. He seemed to want to say as much as he could as quickly as he could, as if it would make things easier for you to deal with if you heard it all at once.

“Something bad is happening around town. Asgore...uh, he needs me and Papyrus to return to our royal guarding duties for awhile,” Sans explained. “Someone else was killed, too. Only recently did the local police find...the bodies. They found them dragged off into the woods.”

The thought horrified you. Murders? Petty crimes still happened around town, it was not like everything was sunshine and roses just because the monsters had arrived peacefully. The human world still had its own problems and not every monster was a good one. But _murder?_ The thought was reminiscent of countless conversations you had had with Rory months ago, things that had become a distant memory that were now present at the forefront of your mind.

Sans seemed to see the unease written across your expression and finally allowed himself to bury his face into the crook of your neck. His ribs creaked as he sighed wearily against you, making you drop your arm around him, resting your warm cheek atop cold bone. You could feel the buzz of his magic beneath your skin, seeping through his skull. It pulsed and hummed inaudibly, making him feel alive to your touch. What would you do if his magic was to be snuffed out? The thought made you shudder, which Sans noticed.

“I...I think you should stay home for a little while,” Sans mumbled into your shoulder, but you pushed at him gently.

“I can't do that, not when I know you're out there risking your life to catch a murderer,” you protested.

“Besides the bodies, we have very little to go off of right now. We'd just be doing patrols and, with me busy trying to figure this out with my brother, I won't have time to bounce at Grillbz's bar while you're working. I don't...I don't like this at all,” Sans said, frustrated that you could not see the danger in the situation. “I don't want you alone at the _house_ , much less the _bar_.”

You rubbed soothing circles into his back as you mulled it over. You tried to see it from his perspective, but your stubbornness was getting in the way. Once again you could only think about how you would be sitting at home waiting for him to come back to you unharmed. The mention of the bar had another thought brewing inside of you as well. If Grillbz was opening, you could not just leave him there without you, danger or not. After all the time you had spent working for him and getting to know him as someone who was like Sans and Papyrus's surrogate father, you did not feel right leaving him there by himself amid all the uncertainty. So, with a touch more insistence behind your hands, you pushed at Sans to make him look at you.

“I can't leave Grillbz there. He'll keep me safe, I know he will and you do, too,” you said, trying your best to reassure him. “Maybe we can invite Grillbz to stay with us so he won't have to go home by himself either.”

Sans seemed to let the thought settle in for a moment. He did not like it, no matter what you said, but he also did not want to freak you out or push you away when the two of you had just gotten to a good place together. The only reason he was telling you about the murders after all his hesitance was so you would not just hear about it on the news now that the police had something to work off of.

Your hand was almost healed, your spirits had seemed higher than ever despite the nightmares, and now Rory was not a problem, as cruel as that sounded. From what he could sense about you, even your SOUL was beginning to heal, beating more confidently and happily in time with his own. However, you were also being incredibly insistent and he did not want to discourage you if you really felt like you could handle it. He would be lying if similarly horrible “what if's” about you were floating about in his head that you had been thinking about earlier, but he could also empathize with you wanting to help. He had felt the same way in regards to his brother taking the case.

With a rattling sigh, he kissed you softly before nodding reluctantly.

“Make sure you call me if anything happens, anything at all. If someone looks at you funny, you better dial me, because I can't...I...I _can't,_ babe” he said, finishing off weakly as he instead tried to focus on the way you felt in his arms. You could see the weariness in his face. How could a skeleton get bags under his eyes?

“You've been working yourself to the _bone_ , Sans,” you mumbled. He could only manage a weary chuckle at your pun, although he was also nodding softly in agreement. “I wish Asgore had asked anyone else. I mean, you're worried about _me_ taking a walk to the bar, but _you_...you're walking right into it all. He expects you to do this so soon after everything that happened with us?”

“To be fair, it's not like the king knows about Gaster. It isn't, uh, like he asked _me_ specifically to go either. He asked Paps and Undyne. I couldn't just leave my bro to deal with this on his own. He's pretty strong, but...I worry.” He looked at you with a crooked, tired smile. “You know how it is.”

A small wash of guilt swam over you. Papyrus and Undyne would be in danger as well and you were completely wrapped up in the fact that Sans was going to be out there. Mettaton and Alphys were also going to be anxiously waiting to hear news about the case. You sagged against Sans.

“I hope all of you come back home okay,” you whispered. These were your friends, your new ragtag family. They all mattered to you in so many different ways to so many people.

There was nothing more either of you could say to that, both of you had made up your minds. Sans brushed another kiss to your lips before nuzzling under your chin, making you smile at the warmth of his breath tickling across your skin. The two of you had become so grossly affectionate, it was nearly embarrassing for your friends to witness. Still, given your circumstances and all that the two of you had experienced together, it was not like either of you cared too much about what others thought. With the recent news, you found yourselves thinking about each other in a more somber light. Every moment had been precious and this was just a grim reminder that it could just as easily be taken away again.

You would have loved to stay there and enjoyed some sleepy early morning cuddling, but, despite your pleading gaze, your clock ticked ever onward. As simpler as it would have been to have just ignored it all and stayed locked in the safety of each others arms, the day needed to begin. You kissed the top of his head and patted at his back, a silent signal for him to release you so you could get dressed to head to the bar.

It was going to be a long day for both of you.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this chapter is mostly set up. It didn't fit well with the chapter preceding it or following it so I had to stick it by itself. The plot will move a bit further next Saturday so stay tuned!
> 
> [Tumblr](http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/) // [Twitter](https://twitter.com/GhostieNaps) // [RedBubble](http://www.redbubble.com/people/ghostnappalie)


	30. A Monster Made Human

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The police station was a buzz with activity, but somehow eerily silent as well.

It had been difficult to say goodbye to you later that morning. Despite his protests, you saw him and Papyrus to the door. It was not that he did not want you to, he just knew that it would feel like a serious farewell. He did not want to say goodbye to you, your lives together had just begun. Still, he did not protest when you kissed him. As much as he would hope, there was still the fear that he might not survive the investigation.

The kiss was gentle, but it rooted him to the spot,. He relished in the feel of your lips, appreciating the thrum of life and magic that pulsed through you. Sans pressed his mouth firmer to yours, wishing that he could stay with you. More than anything, he wished that none of it was happening. Had you not been through enough?

You pulled away slowly and pressed your forehead to his to look him in the eyes. The worried expression on your face made it nearly impossible for him to tear himself away from you. It was not until Papyrus placed a gentle hand on his shoulder to guide him out of the house that Sans was able to steel himself. He plastered on his grin, knowing you would see through it, but wanting desperately to comfort you in any way he could.

“I'll see you later, babe,” he insisted. It was not a farewell, but a promise to return to the house, to your loving embrace. Sans brushed his fingers through your hair before cupping your cheek. You smiled, weak as it was, and leaned into his touch while nodding.

“Hurry home.”

\-----

They were the only monsters on the street. Sans envied the humans who walked by, living their normal lives without interference. Although they had more powerful SOULs, they could not sense the kinds of things monsters could sense. What he would give to be at home right now, as a human, wrapped up in your warmth. He could not think about that now. The look of fright on your face at the news was what was keeping him steadfast in his resolve. He would get to the bottom of things to ensure your happiness. He wanted you to feel safe again.

The police station was hushed, but Sans could feel the frantic buzz of energy around him. It intensified as he and Papyrus approached the front desk, the eyes of the officers watching them practically burning holes into the back of his skull. He tried to ignore it as best he could, shifting nervously inside his jacket, clenching his hands in his pockets. It was not like he could blame the humans for reacting towards their arrival like that. The murders had spooked everyone.

He imagined that they had been fairly shocked when the king had approached them with no bodies and nothing more than the feeling in his chest to go off of. The police had not experienced anything like a murder since the merging of the human and monster population. While the murders had not explicitly pointed towards magic usage, the monsters were, unfortunately, the first suspects the humans in town would blame. If the mystery behind the deaths was not solved soon, the whole city would be on edge. For now, the only people who knew about the case were the Royal Guard and the police officers at the station. Sans hoped they would have enough sense to keep the whole thing under wraps.

Papyrus cleared his throat, more out of nerves than necessity, before addressing the officer at the front desk. It seemed that he was also picking up on the tense atmosphere. Sans was more than willing to let his brother take the lead. He was always more serious when it came to matters involving the Royal Guard and, for whatever reason, humans took to him much more quickly than Sans. However, before the stammering officer behind the desk could respond, the skeletons heard the king's voice echoing down the hall.

“Ah, Sans, Papyrus...Come this way please,” Asgore called out. Standing at his side was the only put together officer in the whole place. He nodded at the two monsters as they came up to the king, Papyrus saluting diligently as Sans mustered a feeble wave. It was hardly the time for formalities. “This is Chief Thomas. Given the...sensitive nature of this situation, he will be helping us personally.”

The chief was probably tall by human standards, but only came up to Asgore's shoulder. Even so, he carried himself with confidence and dignity. Not a single dark hair on his head was out of place and his tan skin was creased with age and wisdom. Sans felt better about working with someone who looked like he could keep his wits about him. Chief Thomas greeted them with a curt nod before turning back to the king.

“Let's hurry back to the morgue. I'm afraid your guard is causing a bit of a stir with my officers.”

Looking pointedly past Sans, the skeletons turned in time to see officers ducking back behind their desks and returning to their forced idle chatter. No doubt they had been watching and listening closely. In their situation, Sans could hardly muster any indignance.

As they walked deeper into the station, their footsteps filled the stiff silence between the four of them. There was muffled activity behind each door they passed. Since the town was small, the police station functioned as their city hall. No doubt there were political officials inside, oblivious to the manic energy of the officers patrolling the halls. Every so often an officer would pass and salute, shuffling off in a rush, stealing glances at the trio of monsters following the chief.

“We told everyone to stay in their offices so we could clean the halls,” Thomas explained, answering Sans's unspoken question. “Not everyone who's up the chain has a fondness for monsters and if they found out...well, things would take a nosedive pretty quickly.”

Finally, they came to a cold, white door with the black words “OBSERVATION ROOM” emblazoned on the front. The chief opened the door and gestured for them all to walk inside. Before they stepped in, Asgore turned to the skeletons, his face drawn with severity.

“As you know...humans do not die as monsters do,” Asgore said solemnly. “I have seen this before, but the two of you...have not.” Sans kept his mouth firmly shut, trying not to remember Frisk's crumpled body in front of him after a particularly bad Reset. “We have come this far, but if...if you do not wish to see, I will not make you. Your Royal Guard duties ended as soon as the Underground was opened. You owe nothing to me.”

The words sat in Sans's stomach, giving him a bad taste in his mouth. He never felt like he owed Asgore anything, not after Gaster. It had been for Papyrus, it was going to be for you now, too. Still, it was hard to hold onto his bitterness when the king was giving him such a forlorn look.

“I will always be a Royal Guard, your majesty! It is my duty to protect others!” Papyrus exclaimed. All eyes turned to Sans who finally shrugged.

“Ditto.”

Asgore nodded stiffly before leading the way into the room. For some reason Sans had expected a strong smell of death to have hit him along with the gust of cold air, but there was nothing. The white walls and floors gave off a sterile smell, uncomfortably reminding him of the hospital where you had stayed. However, unlike the hospital, the room had two gurneys with sheets covering the top. Underneath each sheet was a lump – fuck, _a body_ – and it made his bones itch with anxiety. He tried to push the thought of you away, forcing himself to ignore the unwanted image of you – it could have been _you_ – laying on the table under a sheet flashing in his mind. He needed to be collected, his eyes glancing at Papyrus beside him.

His brother, for all his proud words, was trembling. Papyrus was trying his best to stand firm, but Sans knew how much his brother loved everyone. He was sure that Papyrus was thinking about his friends in the same way Sans was thinking about you. Gently, he touched his brother's hand, making him flinch.

“You okay?”

Papyrus hesitated before shaking his head. “I want to help and...and if this is what I need to see, then I will see it.”

“It doesn't get easier,” Chief Thomas piped up, patting Papyrus's arm. “If it does, that means you need to quit.” He strode over to the closest body. “This was a young man by the name of Jeremy Green. 5'3”, Caucasian, red hair and brown eyes. He was only 19. His parents called to report that he was missing several days ago and they've already come in to confirm his identity. I'm going to pull back the sheet now.”

Carefully revealing the teen's face, Sans grimaced. There were dark bruises and small cuts around his neck. His lips were dark and puffy. Looking at the side of his face, it seemed as though he had gotten scraped up, too. Papyrus had looked, but glanced away, overcome. Thomas solemnly continued.

“Public sanitation workers found him in a dumpster with this man, one Rory McKinnen. 5'11”, Caucasian, dark blonde hair and green eyes. His father came in to confirm it, but the king tells me you knew this man. This one...met a more gruesome end, stabbed through the chest, so...prepare yourself.”

The sheet lifted and there was no mistake that it was Rory. No longer a gray blob in the shape of a man, but a cold body on the table. Even without a SOUL, Sans could feel it, this was the man who had been tormenting you. There were scrapes on the side of his face, too, but the wound that stood out the most was the hole in his chest. Sans did not take in any more detail than that, turning away himself.

“That's him,” was all he could say. Thomas nodded at Asgore as he covered the bodies again.

“We believe that Rory was the one to kill Jeremy. The marks around the kid's neck are common in manual strangulation and we found bits of his skin under Rory's fingernails. However, we don't think the murders occurred in that alley.”

He motioned for them all to follow him to a desk with a folder laid open. In it, were closeups of the wounds. Thomas pointed at the scrapes that Jeremy and Rory shared.

“It seems as if someone dragged the bodies there. Their faces were covered with dirt and gravel was embedded in the wounds when we found them. It will take some tests to see where exactly they were murdered, but it seems as though there is at least one other party involved.” Pulling a baggy from under the papers out, he showed it to the group. “We also found these in Rory's torso, inside of the wound.” Sans's eyes darkened with recognition.

Dark red thorns. He barely took in what the chief was saying about “plant matter”, his mind stuck on only one thing. Flowey had come back and he already had two SOULs. Papyrus had noticed his silence and was about to ask him if he was alright when the feeling came again.

All the monsters in the room shot up, Papyrus clutching at his chest and Sans whipping his head wildly from side to side. Chief Thomas turned to Asgore and demanded to know what was wrong, but the king could only grimace in response. The pain of it was rippling through them, reacting to their magic. It was happening again in broad daylight.

Someone else had lost their SOUL.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are starting to kick off! Thank you for continuing to support me and my writing. I might not be able to post next Saturday as my future in-laws are coming into town that weekend. I will post as soon as they are gone though so please be patient with me. As always, you can follow my Tumblr for updates about the story.
> 
> [Tumblr](http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/) // [Twitter](https://twitter.com/GhostieNaps)


	31. Here We Are

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Perspective slides between Reader and Sans as their reality faces peril.

You had sat and listened to the news as you ate a quick breakfast. The mayor had announced that there had been a slew of robberies over the past few days. He urged the townsfolk to remain alert and in groups, putting extra emphasis on not wandering around at night until the culprit was caught. You barely heard his weak reassurances of safety while the police investigated. It was clear the mayor did not want to incite a panic, you understood this, but if things were as dire as Sans made it seem, the people around town ought to know. Maybe he did not want any fingers to be pointed at the monsters? It still felt irresponsible to you.

The walk to work was certainly unchanged. People were walking alone, children were heading to school unsupervised. You could not help the anxiousness that churned in your belly as you watched them go about their lives. Would they be safe? You almost missed your crosswalk sign, you were so consumed in worry.

As you scurried across the street, doubt caught you. Maybe you should have listened to Sans and stayed home. Maybe you had thought too much of yourself and you really would not be able to handle walking around by yourself. You were finding yourself glancing around every corner and trying not to make eye contact with passersby. In your mind, you probably looked ridiculous. The thought of your boss fending for himself in the bar, however, steeled your resolve. You could not just leave him. Everyone was in danger, not just humans.

The windows to the bar where dark, not unusual for the early morning, but still unsettling. Fishing for your key, you jumped as the door knob turned with a squeak. Instinctively, you grabbed at your bag, prepared to bludgeon whatever came out the door.

“H-hello?” you whispered, nerves choking your voice in your throat. A familiar orange light shined from the door as it opened slightly.

“Aah, so you did decide to come,” Grillbz replied. He eyed your tight grip on your bag. “Sans has told you that something has happened then. Come in.”

Ushering you inside, he quickly bolted the door closed behind you. The resounding thud of the metal lock bar sliding into place eased your tightened nerves. Even if it was just a lock, it made you feel safer.

“Did Sans tell you, too?” you asked, glancing around the bar. It was empty. Grillbz had not even pulled down the chairs from off the tables and the jukebox had been unplugged. You jumped when he touched your arm to lead you to a bar stool.

“No, but...we monsters tend to sense when things of this... _nature_ occur. We are highly attuned to the magic of our SOULs and thus are aware of the magic all around us. Something is disrupting that magic. Something has created an imbalance.”

“How do you know someone was m-murdered? Does it feel different when someone just…dies?”

Grillbz had sat beside you, stroking the flames at the top of his head back. You noticed the twitch of his fingers as he pushed his glasses up to look at you.

“Unlike humans, monsters are almost purely magical. We can feel other’s emotions if we are close enough to them. The monsters around town had been living together for hundreds of years under the mountain, we all just got used to each other down there. We know how our community is meant to feel. When we made our way to the surface those few years ago that feeling changed very little. We have a slight sense for humans, but, because their bodies have less magic to them, it’s harder to get a read on them. However…under certain circumstances, when their SOULs are feeling something as strong as fear, we _know_. It becomes almost like a beacon in our consciousness. We feel their fear, it’s tangible in our chests, and the sudden stop of it makes it clear their fate. It’s like someone turning on the lights in a dark room before quickly snuffing it again.”

Something clicked with you and you eyed Grillbz with a newfound nervousness.

“Why…do you know what a human dying feels like? Has something like this happened before?”

“Aside from the war?” Grillbz chuckled humorlessly. “When we were down there, us monsters weren’t exactly the kindest to the humans who found their way into our community.”

You shifted in your seat. Of course you had heard the rumors about the mountain swallowing up those who ventured to its peak. It made sense to you now that no one else besides Frisk had emerged with the monsters. With the current situation, it was hard not to think of how lucky they were to have survived somehow.

“When did this first happen?”

“A few nights ago. You have been recovering so I'm not sure if you've been out of the house much, but...monsters have been staying off the streets.” Grillbz paused before asking, “Did Sans not tell you?”

Thinking back over the past few days, you vaguely recalled the firmness with which he held you. Nothing forceful, just...close. Sans had watched movies with you and made meals with you in, what you had assumed was an effort to keep you entertained as you stayed in the house. He had clung to you and doted on you, even moreso than usual. This morning he had been at your bedside as soon as you had awoken. Had he even slept? A coil of frustration and guilt burned within you. He should not have had to shoulder all of that alone. The look on your face must have said something and you shrugged as Grillbz patted at your arm.

“He just doesn't want to worry you. You both have been through quite a lot these past few weeks.” When your expression did not soften, Grillbz smiled cautiously. “Don't be too hard on him. Besides, I'm sure there are things the two of you have kept to yourselves in an effort to spare the rest of us. Neither of you ever _really_ explained why you ended up in the hospital after all.”

Flushing, you looked away with a nervous laugh. Gaster hardly counted, you thought petulantly, but, even so, you could see his point. You knew this was all a story. That was something you and Sans doubted you would ever be able to tell the others. It did not stop the sigh that huffed out of you however.

“Well, I don't have to like it,” you grumbled, halfheartedly crossing your arms. This elicited a quiet crackle of laughter from Grillbz which you returned with a soft smile. The lapse in conversation reminded you of the reason you had come into work in the first place.

“Why don't we wait things out at Sans and Papyrus's house? They've actually gone to see King Asgore. With their help, I'm sure this whole thing will fix itself.”

Standing and tugging at Grillbz's hand until he followed suit, you looked at him insistently. He glanced around the bar, obviously hesitant about leaving it as well as his home upstairs unattended, but he eventually nodded. You helped him lock back up and walked beside him back towards the skeletons' home. With Grillbz's words still fresh in your mind you could not help, but notice that there _was_ a huge lack of monsters out. Grillbz kept his head down, but you could see his small eyes shifting around, carefully watching the people passing by. In an effort to calm him, you tried to make small talk.

“It's been awhile since you've been over to Sans and Papyrus's house. I'm sure they'll be very happy to see you when they get back. You can help me make dinner. Sans has been toiling away in there and I actually kind of miss making stuff for myself.”

Grillbz smiled at you before ruffling your hair.

“It's your home now, too, you know.”

You tried to protest in embarrassment, but suddenly Grillbz was no longer beside you, the warmth of his hand absent from your head. He was a few steps back, breathing heavily, a hand to his chest. His head turned frantically from side to side. You rushed to him, but winced away when you tried to touch his shoulder. He was burning extra hot in his panic, giving off sparks. Instead you grabbed gingerly at the edge of his jacket.

“What's wrong? Are you okay?”

Grillbz looked at you suddenly, almost as if he had just remembered you were still there.

“We need to get to the house quickly.”

He took your wrist, his hands still uncomfortably warm, and led you down the sidewalk. He did not answer any of your questions, and instead chose to silently scan around the two of you. Grillbz did not let go of you until you reached the door. Even then that was only just so you could open it. He pulled you inside as soon as the lock clicked open.

“Make sure all the windows are locked. Seal the garage. We cannot open anything for anyone,” he hissed in a panic, his fingertips sizzling on the cold metal of the deadbolt. Seeing that you would not be getting any information from him until you had done as he had asked, you rushed off to check everything.

Your hands shook as you slammed the windows shut and locked them. When you returned, you found Grillbz in the kitchen. He was sitting at the table and taking a pull from the flask he always concealed in his jacket's inside pocket. He turned a violent shade of blue and sparked slightly, shuddering as the mystery drink hit his palette. He looked over at you grimly, swallowing around what you presumed was alcohol and the nervous lump in his throat before speaking.

“It's happened again, I'm afraid. Someone else has died,” he whispered. The words shook you, sending a shiver down your spine.

“Just...Just now?” The words came out as a breath, but Grillbz understood. He nodded.

“This has never happened during the day before. It was always at night,” he continued. “And whatever it is has taken another human life.”

The both of you nearly jumped out of your skins when your cell phone rang. Fumbling with it, your hands suddenly very sweaty, you saw that the name on the caller ID was Sans. A touch of relief washed over you as you answered.

“Are you alright?” His voice was sharp and frightened, making you pull away from the phone reflexively.

“I'm okay. Grillbz is with me. What's wrong? Where are you? Are you still with King Asgore?” you breathed out in a rush, winded from the sudden fear building inside of you.

“Someone else got killed in town, j-just now,” Sans replied, sounding out of breath himself. It sounded like he was moving very quickly.

“San's, where are you? Is Papyrus with you?” A sudden thought occurred to you as the silence stretched on. “Did you leave them? Are you insane?” you scolded him. Your anger was building itself sharply on top of your nerves. He would be no use to anyone if he encountered whatever it was by himself.

“S-Sorry...I'm just...I need to know what's happening. If my hunch is right... If it's _Flowey_ , we have to catch him.” Part of you understood, but you were definitely relieved when you could hear his breath easing on Sans's end of the call. He must have stopped running.

“Where are Papyrus and King Asgore?” Grillbz prodded you. You shrugged, but Sans had heard and groaned.

“I-I left them...Too much of a hurry... _shit!_ ” he cursed, stumbling on the sidewalk. Even he had to admit that maybe it was not the best idea to be on his own. He was not in the right frame of mind to be chasing anyone, especially someone with three human SOULs.

His eyes darted around. It had felt close, like the rip of magic had only happened a little ways away from the station. Maybe he would see it, whoever they were.

He stumbled again, falling harder this time with his phone flying away from his grip. It popped apart, disconnecting the call. Sans growled in frustration at his own clumsiness, pushing forward to reach it, but a sharp tug at his ankle brought him down on his face. He swore again, feeling the bone of his cheek get scratched up. He had not just stumbled, something was dragging him away from the phone.

Looking down, rolling around on the pavement, his eye began to swirl with magic in a panic. His leg bone was being encircled by a thick green vine. His shout of alarm was quickly silenced by another sharp tug.

People passing by began to notice and someone ran to help him up. A loud crack came from the trees when suddenly a line burst forward and grabbed at the human. It wrapped tightly around their waist before effortlessly tossing them into the road. Cars swerved to miss them as they landed in an unconscious heap, but Sans was hardly paying attention to them. The line of trees parted and Flowey emerged.

“As fun as you humans are to play with, I don't want any interference!” Flowey's voice boomed. It was distorted and echoed as he spoke, sounding almost like several voices talking in tandem.

As he pushed further into the street, Sans backed away from his grotesque figure. Flowey had become an undulating mass of plant life. Bits of moss here, wet clumps of leaves there, mushrooms pulsing across this form, and his vines were used as limbs to drag himself forward. He looked like a rotting animal come back to life, dragging his bloated and wiggling form. The thorns in his vines ripped up the concrete sidewalks, errant vines batting away cars and people as Flowey continued his steady march of destruction. At the top of it all, sat an impossibly large sunflower. This was what the SOULs had turned him into and Sans did not want to stick around to see the powers he had attained. With a grunt of effort, he got up on his knees and tried to stand.

**_FILE LOADED_ **

He blinked in confusion as he felt the ground hit his face again. He heard the screech of tires once more as cars swerved to avoid the tossed human. The vine around his ankle had become tighter than before. It was as if he had not moved.

“Shit!” Sans shouted, flinging a bone at the vine to severe its hold on him. It had been so long since he had to deal with SAVEs that it had caught him off guard. It was an ugly feeling, reminding him of his purgatory in the Underground.

**_FILE LOADED_ **

There it was again. The scratch of concrete on his face, the screech of tires. Sans scrabbled suddenly at the ground as he felt himself being ripped upwards by his ankle. Dangling and swinging, he was pulled up to come face to face with Flowey. The monster grinned as more vines encircled Sans, painfully pinning his arms to his sides.

“Howdy! It’s me again!” he sneered. “You sure are an _idiot_ to be looking for me by yourself, heh heh! Where is everybody? Nobody coming to save you?”

His evil grin only widened as Sans’s eye burned even hotter, staring him down with hate. Flowey squeezed at Sans, relishing in the wince on the skeleton’s face as the thorns dug their way into his bones.

“How sad, our supporting character is without his protagonist! Heh heh, I know what we can do!” With a deft swing of his vines, Flowey smashed a house clean down the middle.

“Let’s go find her!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter for you. I've been working towards this for so long and I'm very excited to be SO CLOSE to the end. Flowey's transformed form has been my very own monster when it came to the end of this and I'm happy to be working to overcome it. Stay tuned for next Saturday. Thank you so much, as always, for continuing to support me and my writing.
> 
> If you want to follow updates on the fic, [follow my Tumblr.](http://madammerlise.tumblr.com/) If you want updates on my personal life, [follow my Twitter.]()

**Author's Note:**

> This work is heavily inspired by various other Sans/Reader fanfics I've read here. I just could not contain myself and really wanted to write something of my own, too! Hoping to stay on top of this fic, unlike some of my others, but more than anything, I hope you like it.
> 
> Thank you so much for reading! Stay tuned for the next chapter!! <3
> 
> 9/17/17 Edit: Added some more details to the scene in this chapter. My hope is to further flesh out Reader and Rory since, through subsequent re-readings of YDM, I was not happy with their development in early chapters. I was in a rush to get to the meat of the story, but I would really like to take the time and give this story the care it deserves.


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